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Is it in the cat’s best interest to be included in the travel plans?

Many people like to take their animals with them as they travel. While cats are most comfortable in their home environment, some cats can adapt to travel rather well. Certain life situations such as relocation, an extended stay with a relative who is ill, or a serious relationship headed toward marriage or cohabitation, may require your cat travels with you on an as needed or routine basis. I discourage traveling with cats, because they are incredible athletic and it’s is extremely easy to loose your pet as you pack, travel, stop at rest areas and once you’ve reached your new destination. Most cats get very nervous traveling and may become dehydrated or ill. If you are relocating, your cat is likely to become agitated and may try to run away before or after your move. If it’s in the best interest of your pet to include them in your travel plans, or if you are relocating, the following tips may help.

Preparation.

Before you plan a trip with your cat make sure that the pet will have a safe place to stay once you reach your destination. When you stay at a hotel, even if you’ve stayed at the same hotel dozens of times, confirm each time you travel that they still accept pets. When you stay with friends, don’t assume they will love your cat as much as you do, and make sure no one has a cat allergy. Find out if they have pets and whether their pet is very friendly with all animals in their home. Many friendly dogs and cats become very aggressive when another animal is placed in their home. Most often, I discourage anyone from subjecting a cat to another animal for a short period of time. It’s traumatic to most cats and increases the likelihood your cat will run away–given any small opportunity.

Help your cat love the carrier.

Several weeks prior to your trip or move, purchase a cat carrier for each cat. It should be large enough for them to stretch, turn around and lie down. If you have more than two cats, they all get along very well, you have a long trip, and you have a vehicle like a mini-van, you may want to consider buying a dog kennel that will accommodate all your cats. Whether you’re using a cat carrier or a dog kennel, pad the bottom of the carrier with a fluffy towel, or an old sweatshirt. If the towel or sweatshirt smells like you, your cats comfort level is increased. Get the cat comfortable with the carrier a few weeks before you travel. Keep the carrier door open and feed them in or around the carrier. For example if you have two cats and two cat carriers, I suggest placing a little wet food in each carrier at meal time. Do this 3-4 times a week for a few weeks before your trip. Leave the carrier door open so the cat can leisurely walk in and out of the carrier.

Avoid injury and minimize trauma for the cat.

Never haul cats in a carrier in the back of a pick up truck exposed to wind, weather and the elements. If you’re moving and renting a moving truck, keep the cat in the carrier with you in the truck cab. Never load a cat in the back of a loaded truck or moving van. The carrier and your cat could get crushed as your belongings shift. You could kill or injure your pet.

What to do when your trip or move is in the near future.

Shortly before you begin your trip or move, locate and pack your pet’s health certificate or veterinary records. When you travel with pets the rabies vaccine must be current. Many states have additional requirements. If your pet needs any vaccinations, get these done at least two weeks prior to your trip. This gives the cat an opportunity to recover from the vaccinations, and minimizes the risk of illness. Tape the health certificates or veterinarian records to the top of each carrier. Be sure your veterinarian’s phone number is on the record as well in case you have an emergency or a law enforcement official needs to check your records. If you do not normally use a collar on your indoor pet, it would be good to do so now. Write your phone number on the collar so it can be read from a distance, and make sure it’s easy to read. It’s wonderfully, shocking how many lost cats are reunited with their guardian because their collar had a phone number.

If you are relocating, your pet is old, or your trip is more than a couple hours, purchase a small, flexible, disposable litter pan for each cat. These can be placed in the carrier (before you load the cat in the carrier) the day you travel. Your cat may lie in the litter, but it encourages your cat to use the litter pan. If your trip is less than two hours, a towel or sweatshirt in the bottom of the carrier is sufficient.

The night before your trip or relocation.

Keep cats enclosed in a familiar area, such as a bedroom or kitchen-make sure they have a litter box available. Cats seem to be amazingly psychic and like to hide the day of the trip. Put the carrier in the room and leave the carrier door open. This will make it easier to load the cat in the carrier in the morning. Feed the cat its normal meal the night before your trip, but do not over feed. You may want to try and use an herbal produce called pet remedy. I use this every time I relocate with my cats and it helps reduce their stress. At least 5-6 hours before your trip remove all food. Remove water a few hours before your trip.

On your day of travel

Make sure your vehicle is packed first and in such a way as to leave room for the carrier(s). Pack the cat(s) last. Be patient! If your cat has been easily going into the carrier with a little food try to get them to do so again. If they won’t go in, pick them up, gently place them on the floor in front the carrier with their tail or butt near the carrier’s open door-you are going to back them into the carrier. Keep one hand around the cat’s ribcage, take your other hand and with an open palm press against the cats face so they will back into the carrier. It helps to have the carrier back against a wall. Once the cat has back into the carrier, keep one hand on the cat and gentle swing the door closed as much as possible. Slide your hand out but keep an open palm as you close and lock the door. This keeps the cat from bolting out of the carrier. Make sure the carrier door is secure and load your cat in the car. Try to get this right the first time. The more often you’re unsuccessful at loading your cat in the carrier, the more difficult this procedure becomes. Feel free to practice this once or twice several weeks prior to your trip. (When practicing prior to your trip, open the cat door immediately after a successful load, and give your cat a treat or meal.)

Begin your journey.

Now that you and your cat are safely in the car you can breathe a sigh of relief. Most cats meow for up to an hour as you begin your trip. I’ve had some cats that meowed a few minutes and then settled down, and other cats who let out blood curdling cries for an hour. Sometimes it helps to cover the carrier with a dark, but breathable fabric, or you can cover ¾ of the carrier, leaving the door uncovered. Covering or partially covering a carrier helps a cat feel more secure. Make sure the cats are kept in moderate temperature at all times during your trip. Also, play soothing music as you drive, and as much as possible ignore them. The most important thing you can do now is arrive at your destination safely. If your trip is less than six hours, leave your cat in the carrier until you arrive at your destination. The only thing you need to monitor is how much the cat pants. Since cats do not perspire, they will pant when their heart beat is elevated and when they are hot. It’s normal to see some panting because a car ride is very stressful for most cats. If you see excessive panting, your cat drools or begins convulsions stop as soon as possible and call your veterinarian.

Upon arrival

Carry your cat (in the carrier) inside the new destination and place the cat in a single secured room, such as a bedroom or kitchen. If you have multiple cats, bring all the cats in first, before you open any carrier doors. Also, bring in a litter pan and water bowl. When you open the carrier door, let your cat come out by themselves. Be sure your cats have continuous access to water during as you settle into your new surroundings. It’s best to keep the cat in a single room or small area until, you are certain the cat could not get out. If the cat is an indoor/outdoor cat and you’ve relocated-even if it’s in the same city, keep your cat indoors for 14 days. If a cat has just been relocated or is in a new environment and gets out during the first few days it’s very likely to get lost, become disoriented, and maybe hit and killed by a car.

The week following a trip or move.

Watch for signs of illness and dehydration. It’s normal for some cats to have diarrhea, sleep even more than normal, or vomit once or twice the day after the trip. If these conditions do not clear up in a day or two, if you notice blood in the urine or stool, or if the cats skin can be pulled and does not spring back into the body, seek veterinary care immediately. The sooner you catch and treat illness or dehydration, the more likely and quicker the cat will return to good health.

Final thoughts.

Every cat is different. I once had an orange tabby that loved to ride in the car with me. He ran to the front door when I picked up my car keys. I never used a carrier with him. He peacefully sat on my lap every time we got in the car. I currently have a large grey tabby that likes to ride in non-motorized boats. You know your cat better than anyone else. Check with your veterinarian if you have questions about the best way to travel with or relocate your cat. Keep in mind that cats are athletic and like security. Many easy going cats get agitated, dehydrated or run away while traveling or moving, so please use caution with your pet.

Kate Garvey is a former Vet Tech and animal rights supporter. She teaches Sound Healing Workshops (throughout the US) and treats clients by appointment in the San Diego area. For more information on how you can use sound for optimal health please visit http://www.InstituteOfSoundHealing.com

Kate is also a freelance writer, published author, and the author of several books; “Aging, Death and Euthanasia-A Guide for People with Pets”, “Summer Pet Care Tips”, and “The Low Risk Guide for Real Estate Investment.”

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One of the most common applications of embroidery is the customization of sports apparel such as adding logos or names to warm-up uniforms, gym bags, or similar items. When a team customizes their warm-ups or uniforms using embroidery, it creates a sense of unity and gives the team a sharper, more professional look. A significant percentage of customers who shop RobbinsSports.com for sports apparel want to have more than just a blank warm-up jacket or a plain duffle bag. To complete their décor, they know that signing their sportswear with their team’s logo is imperative. However, especially for those who have been given the charge of outfitting the team for the first time, the details of what’s involved in adding embroidery to their order are not clear. Here is some helpful information for understanding the process and the pricing for adding customized embroidery to your next sports apparel purchase.

Artwork

If you just want to add personalized names to the left chest of a jacket or to the side of a gym bag, you won’t have to worry much about artwork. However, if you need to have a logo (usually these are done as left chest or full back arrangements on jackets or placed on the side or end of a duffel bag) added to your sports apparel, you should come prepared with a digital copy of the logo you want to use. Most embroiderers charge an artwork fee for any significant changes they have to make to your logo to get it ready for digitizing (see below). If you want your embroiderer to start from scratch to create your logo, be prepared to pay about $100.00 or more, depending upon the complexity of the logo you want.

Digitizing

Digitizing involves transforming a digital image into a file that can be read and interpreted by an embroidery machine. Typical charges for this are about $10 per thousand stitches. So how do you know how many stitches your logo has in it until you get it digitized? Most digitizers can give you a pretty good estimate before they begin digitizing your logo. Getting an estimate on the cost of digitizing your logo will help you keep your expenses within the range you expect when you actually place the order.

After you have had a logo digitized, be sure to keep a copy of it on file for the organization you’re representing. Doing so will enable the team to avoid the digitizing expense when placing future orders. Digitizing can become expensive quickly, especially if you are only placing an order for a small number of uniforms, so it’s obviously best to try to avoid that overhead.

Pricing

Pricing with embroidery is most often done based upon the stitch count of your logo, which determines the time it takes for any particular embroidery machine to complete the logo. Usually embroiderers give price breaks according to the quantity you are ordering. Of course the pricing varies from one company to another. Here are some benchmarks. If you want to have a left chest logo put onto a typical windbreaker jacket and you are ordering twelve of them, you’ll likely pay about $5.00-$6.00 per embroidered logo for logos that are under 7,000 stitches. If you are ordering less than that quantity, you may find that your embroiderer charges a setup fee as well. Pricing beyond 7,000 stitches usually goes up on a per thousand basis. You can normally expect to pay an additional $0.50-0.60 per thousand stitches beyond 7,000.

For an order of hundreds of jackets compared to just ten or twelve, you should get a price break from your embroiderer. Most companies will go down to a threshold price (say for instance $3.00 per logo for a 7,000 stitch logo) based upon a certain quantity – say 200 articles. Beyond that number of embroidered logos, the pricing will stay the same no matter how many more you have done.

Lead Times

We find that many of our customers contact us in a rushed hurry, often times asking for miracles. Many times we are able to meet their demands. However, to be a preferred customer, it is best to allow one and a half to two weeks for your order to be embroidered and delivered. Most embroiderers don’t keep an inventory of all the products listed in their catalogs, so you need to plan a few extra days to have those shipped from the manufacturer to your embroiderer. Planning ahead can save you and your embroiderer a lot of headache and stress.

Richard Robbins is one of the owners of Robbins Sports, a retailer of sports apparel and accesories such as gym bags, sports uniforms, and warm-up outfits.

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Aggression is one of the main reasons that dogs are euthanised or rehomed; at least 30% of all dogs in rescue centres are there because of the incidence of aggressive behaviour in one form or another. It is actually unusual to have a dog that is aggressing to have just one type of aggression; most dogs have more than one of the following types of behaviour.

It would be prudent, before embarking on a program of aggressive behaviour modification, to rule out any medical reasons for that behaviour, especially if there is a sudden change in the dog’s temperament. Their are some fifty-odd different medical reasons why a dog may be showing aggressive tendencies, these range from Pain to Thyroid Dysfunction, Epilepsy to Hypoglycaemia and Diabetes.

The following is a list of the more common aggressions and why they may be occurring. This is only a part of the total types. Because of the constraints of space it can only be a fleeting reference.

1. Fear / Nervous Aggression (Interdog)

Quite often, this behaviour has its roots directly to the pup’s mother. Breeders that breed from fearful and timid bitches will often make excuses as to why you cannot see the dam. If you do view a litter of puppies and the mother is fearful, then do not even think of buying the puppy. It will be almost a certainty that the pups will inherit some of the mother’s traits, through both genetics and socialisation, genetically the pups may inherit her timidity and through the time they are with her will observe her fear and follow suit.

Scientific research has shown that even the pups that are born to a solid and stable mother that are then put with a bitch that is fearful, they will pick up some of the unstable habits from the fearful dog. Other reasons for this fear type of problem is when the puppy or adult dog is attacked by another dog, especially whilst on the lead, with no means of escape and restricted from showing submissive body language to the attacker.

Lack of early socialisation can also have an affect on this type of behaviour, If the young pup, especially between the age of seven and sixteen weeks, is not carefully socialised with both adult and pups alike, then they do not learn to “meet and greet”. The complex body language dogs learn at this age is crucial to their later behaviour when approaching unknown dogs. If they are unable to either perform or understand the greeting rituals, then they are immediately viewed with suspicion by the approaching dog, and conflict may arise

How can you tell if it is fear?

With nervous and fear aggressive dogs, you will find that they will react aggressively to any dog, regardless of whether it is male or female. The behaviour is often worse if the dog is on the lead or is cornered, especially if close to the owner, who backs up the behaviour, (though unwittingly) by becoming nervous and agitated as the other dog approaches.

This manifests itself in a tightening up on the lead and shoulders. Nervous owners also kick out a cloud of adrenaline that the dog instantly detects, this causes it to look for what is causing the concern. It sees the dog approaching and reacts accordingly. This type of dog is also normally a barker, it will lunge and bark at the approaching dog but generally will not snap unless all its options have run out. ie flight or freeze and after all its threat posturing the other dog has still got too close.

This problem can often be diagnosed if someone who is confident around dogs (that the dog does not know well) takes it out on the lead. It will not get the same fearful vibes from the owner, therefore the reaction to another dogs approaching will be less intense. It is a good way of finding out if your dog suffers fear aggression, as the behaviour will either not be exhibited or will be less pronounced. The owner can then use a desensitisation program for both the dog and themselves.

2. Fear / Nervous Aggression (Inter-human)

Once again, this can be caused through lack of early socialisation, bad breeding and sometimes lack of handling at an early age, starting as young as two weeks old. Pups that are not handled gently and often by the breeder do not get a strong olfactory and tactile bond with humans. This is often the case with puppy farmed dogs and dogs born to large breeders. This handling at such an early age causes a mild stress response in the tiny pup, which benefits its ability to cope with many situations including people and dogs in later life

Nervous and fear aggressing is always defensive in nature, sometimes it is related to the sex of the person. If the breeder was female, and very few males visited or handled the puppies, then the timidity and fear may be worse with men. This particular problem like interdog hostility, will manifest itself mainly with individuals rather than crowds.

You will find that the dog will bark a lot but will be under a table or behind a settee. The tail will be down and although it may seem overtly aggressive, the dogs balance and weight will be on the back foot not over the front feet. This demonstrates that the dog wants you to go away and is not initially trying to bite or attack you. A gradual and careful introduction to the stimulus that is causing the fear with positive reinforcement for calm behaviour is the way to overcome this type of problem though the dog will rarely make a total and full recovery and will never be life and soul of the park and greeting parties.

3. Frustration Aggression

Research has shown that dogs who are not allowed to interact “normally” with people and dogs who were prone to displays of bad temper and behaviour that was overtly aggressive are dogs that are generally restrained or restricted from normal interactions (interactions with people, other dogs, and the outside world). The dog develops an intense desire to gain access to all of those things he desires.

This desire can escalate into escape and roaming behaviour, agitation, biting and unprovoked attacks. It is often observed in dogs that are left tied up in flats, left in gardens, or near a window where they can see the things they want to interact with, but cannot get to them therefore display unprovoked aggression. To some extent, the aggression shown to the postman is based on frustration. I have seen dogs attack their owner or a second dog in the home because it cannot get to the deliveryman.

As with most aggressive behaviours early socialisations and an understanding of how dogs learn and communicate are essential.

4. Sexual aggression.

This type of aggression is usually limited to male dogs. They will mount both people and other dogs. Mounting activity directed towards humans may reflect a lack of opportunity for the dog to play with other dogs, or an over-attachment to people in early life, mounting on other dogs especially if they initially try to put their heads over the other dog’s necks can be related to rank and control complex behaviour. Castration and behaviour modification can help with this problem. Allowing the dog to mate may often be recommended by the amateur dog expert, this normally makes the problem far worse.

5 Territorial Aggression

This may be towards other dogs, people or both. By definition, territorial aggression should be directed toward members of the same species ie other dogs. Domestic dogs, however, seem to regard humans in this regard as conspecific, and consequently may direct territorial aggression toward us When dogs display aggression to strangers only on the home property garden, house, or yard, yet do not respond aggressively to strangers on neutral territory, then territorial aggression is the likely diagnosis. There are two primary motivations for territorial behaviour, control complex behaviour ie dominance or fear/anxiety. It may be worse in a small space such as a car than in an open area. Some dogs like this can be fine in the home, but not so good in the garden.

The only answer to this problem is to work on the dominant/territorial problem in a way in which a dog understands its position through a behaviour modification programme using position reinforcement techniques. Remember not to praise for the cessation of bad behaviour rather praise for that bad behaviour not happening in the first place. In other words, say the dog jumps up on someone and you say “OFF” if the dogs get off then do not praise as you will be praising for the inappropriate behaviour, which was the jumping.

6. Control Complex / Dominant Aggression

The word dominant is a dirty word in dog behavioural circles at present however if we understand the word means position and is much more complex that just aggression, then to ignore this area of conflict would be remiss. The initial approach to other dogs is often cautionary and contains many status signals, like tail carriage held high and quickly moving from side to side, standing on tiptoe etc. If the other dog submits, then all is usually fine, if not the fighting can be extremely noisy and in some cases quite severe. In both the last two examples, dominant and territorial aggression, I usually find the dog will pull quite badly on the lead. These dogs can also display aggressive tendency towards members of the family this could lead to an attack if not controlled in their early stages. By working on a programme that will give the dog a purpose and a position in life, almost a job and teaching the dog to walk on a loose leash can sometimes overcome the problem. The type of program I would use is the NILIF program, which stands for “Nothing in Life is Free”, See my website under dominance

7. Chase or Predatory aggression

This can be directed at many things including dogs, cats, or anything that stimulates a chase response. Squirrels are a favourite, as their quick jerky movements seem to stimulate even the most placid of dogs. I see a lot of predatory chase aggression in for instance Border Collies, in particular stimulants like bikes, skateboards joggers and cars.

One of the key factors that distinguish predatory aggression from other forms of aggression is that movement often is the trigger . In the wild, this movement is in the form of running and escape attempts of a small animals. Predatory behaviour can be seen in dogs of any sex and age.

Dogs that show intense interest and become aroused or anxious by the movement or noise of children or other pets should be closely monitored at all times. Prognosis is not good for this type of aggression. Reward based obedience training can help, however this is only any use if the owner/trainer is able to constantly monitor the dog at all times.

It is easier to control the chase stimulus when it is directed at cars, joggers, or bikes. Two types of common treatment’s include counter-conditioning used to change the dogs’ perception of the falsely identified prey. Many also believe punishment works ie noise aversion when the behaviour is first stimulated. Throwing water from a car window or sounding a rape alarm or air horn at the exact time the dog takes off, throwing down a plastic bottle of stones from a passing bike or car can sometimes alter this behaviour.

However. To be effective, punishment must be seen as aversive and the timing of the punishment must be exact so that the dog associates the punishment with the behaviour. Electric shock collars have also been suggested but are not part of treatment programs I would ever recommend.

As mentioned aggression often has its origins in bad breeding, lack of socialisation, high prey drive, and poor basic training can also exacerbate the situation. However, as stated before it can be related to medical conditions and before embarking on a course of behavioural therapy have your dog checked over to see if there are any underlying medical conditions.

Learned aggression can normally be cured however, hereditary aggression cannot, it can only be controlled and hopefully contained. Castration sometimes helps, and should be considered in an overall aggression reduction program. With all aggression cases, you should consider a behaviourist or a dog trainer experienced in these problems, before the problems becomes life threatening either to the dog or the person they are aggressing against.

Stan Rawlinson (Doglistener)
Dog Behaviourist and Obedience Trainer, who has owned and worked dogs for over 25 years, starting with gundogs then moving to the behavioural and obedience side of training companion dogs. He now has a successful practice covering Greater London, Surrey, and Middlesex.

Stan is recommended by numerous Vets, Rescue Centres, and Charities. He writes articles and comments on behavioural issues and techniques for dog magazines including Our Dogs, Dogs Monthly, K9 Magazine, Shooting Times and Pet Owner Magazine. Stan is also the behavioural consultant for Disney

© Stan Rawlinson
Telephone: 0208 979 2019
Mobile Number: 07976 153161
E-mail: enquiries@doglistener.co.uk

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As fashion and plus size evolve into a recognized and (soon-to-be) respected segment in fashion, so do the idiosyncrasies and nuances of fashion itself, as it pertains to plus size.

You see, ten years ago, plus size only belonged in one lump segment, leaving us fashionistas with very little or if any options for shopping and discerning which pieces were of a “fashionable” standard. However, now, with the amalgamation (yes, I had to use this word) and plethora of fashions within plus size clothing, one could easily find herself lost, frustrated, confused, irritated, or flustered when shopping for an ideal outfit or piece of clothing.

Why?

We no longer have “one type” of fashion option for the plus size woman- we have many. However, to better understand and sort through the madness of them all, a budding fashionista must first understand what these newer segments are and learn the identifiers of these to shop smarter, not harder.

No really… WHY?

See, as in the straight- sized market, you will find certain segments within fashion that are grouped together, and for the most part, you know what to expect when shopping from that retailer or specific set of retailers. With the evolution of Plus Size Ready-to-Wear Fashion, the same now holds true. For sake of argument, we will group these segments for plus size fashion as straight sized fashion does to help explain the price discrepancies, size differences, in relation to the integrity and quality of a retailers’ or designers’ garment. The fashion industry is divided into five segments: haute couture, luxury, contemporary, fast fashion, and discount.

* Haute Couture: Synonymous with “high fashion,” haute couture is a derivative of the French term “high sewing.” In France, the label “haute couture” is a protected designation. Designers, who attain this elusive and oft coveted title, produce custom-made clothing for the world’s most influential and wealthiest.

* Luxury: Pret-a-Porter or “Ready to Wear” is one-step down from Haute Couture relative to price and exclusivity, but still serves a discerning and well to do client.

* Contemporary: This fashion forward segment presents mid-priced fashions both fashion forward and quality driven. Oftentimes, these designers interpret fashions from the couture houses, making these fashions readily accessible.

* Fast Fashion: Quickly produced product in a cost efficient manner, delivering “high fashion looking” garments, at the lowest price possible. Relates to the manner of which items from the runway manufactured predominantly overseas with an extremely efficient turnaround.

* Discount: Usually looked at loss leaders, have quickly adapted to the fast fashion concepts leveraging their consumer’s buying power and reputation to fashion exclusive designer collections.

However, the division and classification of what to expect from these segments do not stop there. Please read further into each segment, sans Haute couture, as to understand which designers and brands fall into each classification and what differentiates each one.

Luxury Plus Size Designers

Yes! They do exist! Goods that are of a higher quality and a respective higher price point are the fashion leaders within plus size. Designers such as:

* Anna Scholz

* Cinzia Rocca

* Elena Miro

* Lafayette 148

* Marina Rinaldi

* Peggy Lutz

Are oftentimes carried in either specialty boutiques, specialty department stores such as Saks and Neiman Marcus command, at minimum, a $250 starting point. Expect the finest fabrics, usually imported from overseas, naturally a more conservative cut, with the exception of Anna Scholz and Elena Miro (the only plus size designer to continually show during Milan Fashion Week), impeccably tailored, fully lined, natural fabrics, with exclusivity in feel and wear.

Contemporary Plus Size Designers

Mirroring the contemporary collections represented in Nordstrom, Bloomingdales, and Saks, contemporary plus size fashion offers the fashion forward plus size woman options tailored to her curves at a moderate price point. These designers such as:

* Amanda Uprichard

* David Meister

* Igigi

* Jibri

* Melissa Masse

* Monif C.

* Svoboda

Are often the thoughts leaders, innovators, and risk takers within the plus size fashion segments, as they continually challenge the status quo or the norm in what fashion should be for the discerning plus size woman. This segment’s prices usually range from the low $100′s and can command up to $500 for more specialty pieces. Quality in these fabrics are only a sidestep lower than their luxury counterparts, introducing innovative blends in fabrics, specific silhouettes inspired by the designer’s artistic inspiration, and, like its luxury designers, have more intricate detailing.

Plus Size Fast Fashion Designers

In the light of Forever 21′s counterfeit lawsuits, fast fashion has received a tarnished image although fast fashion provides an amiable compliment to its contemporary counterparts. Popular designers in this segment include:

* Torrid

* Faith 21

* Ashley Stewart

* Lane Bryant

* Evans

With the ability to mass produce up-to-the-minute trends and incredulously low price points, fast fashion provides edgy, often directly inspired from design houses, looks that range from as low as a $10 price point up to a $150 price tag. In order to deliver the trends to the market quickly, the quality, can, at times, be inferior to the luxury and contemporary designers. Expect polyester blends, wool blends, single stitched garments, either a looser silhouette or a variety of shapes that vary from garment to garment. To be worn for the moment, the lifespan of these fast fashion fashions are intended to last for the current season.

Discount Plus Size Designers

Challenging and changing the fashion climate over the last year, discount leaders have created strategic partnerships with Contemporary Designers to bring affordable fashions to the masses. Retailers such as:

* Old Navy

* Wal-Mart

* Target

Have collaborated with the likes of Norma Kamali, Just My Size, Pure Energy, and others to bring quality fashion at an affordable retail price. Discount leaders have allowed women an introduction into fashion options rarely seen and experienced. Discount designers serve as an introduction as well as dispel the notion of plus size fashion not being available. Each segment both provides and serves its purpose for the 60% of us plus size women in the ever diversifying industry of plus size fashion. It is important about knowing the differences in these segments so that you know what to expect when shopping a particular designer or retailer. Learning the difference affords you the ease of a headache or frustration when shopping to put your best curve forward.

Marie Leggette is a fashion blogger, stylist, and writer with over ten years in the retail, fashion world. As a plus size woman herself, Marie Denee is determined to bring high-end fashion to the discerning Plus Size Curvy.Confident.Chic Plus Size Fashionista. In the Fall of 2009, Marie Leggette launched her eponymous plus size contemporary boutique, MarieDenee.com to compliment her plus size fashion blog, http://www.thecurvyfashionista.mariedenee.com both highlighting fashions by designers who see fashion beyond a size 12.

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Do you feel that you don’t have time to cook? Do you like using technology in cooking? Are you a health freak? If yes, this is what you are looking for. Microwave Cooking – The wonder of technology making life in the kitchen easy, healthy and beautiful! As everyone, even I love cooking with a microwave not only because it is easy, but because I have bought one recently. Not every one knows how to use a microwave. I have an aunt who got a microwave as a gift which she uses only to roast ‘Papads’. But it is not designed only for that. Microwave is a gift to cooking. Even I am not an expert when it comes to Microwave Cooking. After some researching, I came up with this mini guide which may come handy and will be useful.

Why use Microwave?

As you might be aware of Microwave cooking is

-Easy

-Healthy, as the nutrients are preserved.

-Quick, hurray! we have more time.

Not all food can be prepared using Microwave. Only few Microwaves well i.e. cooks well. Using food that are not suited for microwaving can not only spoil the recipe, but also damage the microwave oven itself! It is a costly mistake.Take care!

Food that can be cooked in Microwave:

-Fish

-Whole fruits and Vegetables

-All Poultry

-Sauces and custard

Food to avoid:

-Do not try to hard boil eggs. That is not going to happen with microwave oven.

-Batters and Pancakes

-Roasting large turkeys/Hams as it will get cooked unevenly

-Do not try to deep fry!

Cleaning:

This is one of the most important and the most easiest work as far as this appliance is concerned. You can clean in minutes.

-Use Soft Sponges or cloth to clean

-Use dish washing liquid

-Deodorize by keeping the door open for some time and cleaning with baking soda dissolved in warm water.

-Another simple way to deodorize (Which I normally do) is by using the below recipe.

1 cup of water

2 slices of lemon OR few mixed spices (like cinnamon stick,bay leave etc)

Heat on high for 2 to 3 min or until the water is boiling. Now remove the water

and you are left with a fresh smelling new microwave.

Cooking Equipment:

Every time when I use a vessel in microwave oven, I get worried if I am using the right one as using the wrong dishes might spoil your oven. Here are a few you can use,

-Glass-ceramic

-Porcelain

-oven proof glass bowls and dishes

-Casseroles

-Plastic containers which are marked oven/dishwasher safe

Do not use:

-any metal container

-recycled paper

-Plastics that are not marked as oven safe.

Now a days we have even cake pans, loaf pans and baking molds suitable for microwaving.

Mostly round containers are preferred to rectangle or square shaped containers for microwave cooking. The corners get more microwave energy than the center so round is the best shape to cook evenly.

Test your container:

Are you still skeptical in using your container for microwaving? Then do the following test,

Fill the dish/vessel you want to test with cold water

Heat on high for 1 minute

Now check,

If the water is hot and the dish is cold – The dish is safe

If the Dish is hot and water is still cold – No way! Don’t use this vessel

General Microwave cooking – Tips and Techniques that can used to cook any food.

- Cover the food while cooking. It helps in cooking evenly and faster.

- Wrap bread with absorbing paper to avoid moisture on the top.

- Arrange the food so that the center has food that needs less heat to cook and the corners have parts that need more heat to cook.

- Pierce the food with toothpick so that it helps in cooking faster.

- Stir the food occasionally as directed in the recipe.

- Always under cook as food still gets cooked during the standing time.

- Always follow the recipe.

Few How to :

You might be wondering for what else we can use Microwave oven. Do not worry here comes my favorite part which makes our work easy,

How to Peel Tomato:

Pour 2 cups of boiling water in a microwave safe bowl. Add 2 tomatoes and heat on high for 45 – 60 sec till the skin splits. Cool them and peel the tomatoes with ease.

How to Garlic:

Place 2 -3 cloves on oven floor and heat on high for 15-30 sec. Remove and peel with ease.

How to cook beans:

Pre soak the beans as usual and cook them in a large container, giving space for them to expand.

How to Steam vegetables:

Place them in a bowl with little water, they get cooked with the help of the steam. If you use closed bowls, it gets cooked fast.

To Dos for cooking conventional recipe using Microwave:

We generally go with the same recipe for our favorite food and cooking with microwave needs some modification for the taste to come out right.

- Use less water than you will use generally. For example if your general recipe

needs 1 cup of water, for microwave cooking, use 1/2 to 3/4 cup of water.

- Add more spices

- Add salt after the food is cooked

- Reduce the cooking time by at least half.

This is just the basics. There are a lot more to learn for mastering the art of microwave cooking, which , I strongly feel, comes only with practice. So why wait? Buy a microwave oven, cook and enjoy!!!

Iam Sangeeth Raghunathan. I am a software engineer who is now a full time homemaker. I love blogging,crocheting and cooking. My Food Blog helps and tries to inspire people to cook and I also share my views on other topics through Scribbling Scribe, my new blog.

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Imagine this! You are walking down the market place checking out the variety of rates for a box of apples. You scout the market on foot, personally checking with all vendors who have apple carts on display. The entire process takes you roughly about an hour as the market is spread out over a large area. You pass by those that quote a high rate and mentally check those that offer the sum that’s nearest to what you can pay. At the end of the exercise you zoom in to the vendor who offers the best quote for the best quality as well. And then you pick your lot. Something similar happens when you shop around for the best free quote in car insurance.

Let us first understand what insurance is. Answer: Insurance is basically an agreement you make with an insurance company to secure yourself or your belongings in case of any eventuality. The insurance is payable in cash, the amount which is pre-decided between the insurance company and the insured. The insured pays a premium to the insurance company regularly towards this insurance cover.

Car insurance is insuring the car that you or your family/ employees would drive. All car insurance companies provide quotes for your cars on request and you can get free quotes by spending some time looking around yourself. Unlike going about the car insurance market on foot as described, there are easier ways to obtain some good free quotes.

Obtaining free quotes for your car insurance is something like this. All vehicles by law are required to have insurance. If your car is not insured you cannot drive it. Therefore you need to get a car insurance done at the earliest.

Now, how do you go about getting your quotes?

In today’s internet savvy generation, car insurance quotes can be obtained free over the net. You can also find loads of information about numerous car insurance companies that operate in your district and those car insurance companies, which offer the best and free quotes as well. This helps cut any costs that may be associated in obtaining car insurance quotes from several car insurance agencies.

Let’s assume you need a car insurance free quote today. What do you do? Simple, as a first step you log on to the net and run a search for car insurance free quote in your district. This will throw up several web links. You have to click on them to read and understand what the car insurance agencies offer, their free quote requirements, their policy and procedures and such information.

When you are scouting around for the relevant car insurance free quote information you will need some specific information regarding your car. To start with you need to provide your personal contact information which would include name, contact numbers, email address, car driving license number and since when you have it etc.

Then you will need to fill in details about your car like the any current car insurance policies you are holding and their term. This section will probe your car history (any accidents, tickets or violations), the car make and model (4 Wheel drive or sedan), your specific use of the car (to work/ cross-country), and details like if the car has airbags, security alarm system etc etc.

You will also need to clearly mention in your quote requirements what is the coverage amount you need like a full cover or liability only. Also required by the car insurance companies is the bodily limit injury amount you are seeking. Once you submit these details related to car insurance, your quote will be on its way.

All you need to do is await a number of free quotes from several car insurance companies. Once you have shopped around among the best car insurance companies in your district to get the best free quote, select one. You have to try to get the maximum car insurance benefits for your free quote. If you find that you are not happy with the rates in the free quotes that the first lot of car insurance companies have sent you, there are ways to get even better free quotes.

Free quotes depend on the information you put in on the car insurance websites. You can reduce the premium amounts mentioned in the free quotes drastically if you do any of the following and mention the same in your free quote request. You park your car inside a garage. This eliminates damage and theft. You set a ‘break in warning alarm system in your car. You alone drive your car instead of several persons. You don’t have a history of self-caused accidents or violations. You don’t need a car hire clause when your car is taken by the insurance agency for any repairs and many such important points.

So you see, you can get fantastic free quotes from reputed car insurance agencies for your car without moving out of your home.

Scott is a consultant at Car Insurance Free Quote [http://www.lespillets.com/Car_Insurance_Free_Quote.html], a directory listing site with all your car insurance information needs. If you have any other car insurance questions please visit [http://www.lespillets.com/Car_Insurance_Free_Quote.html]

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As the summer months roll in and the war in the Middle East continues to rage on, fuel costs are steadily rising. Whatever reason you want to attribute the higher costs of fuel, it’s a simple fact that the prices are going up, and this could affect more than just automobiles. It also affects your mower. However, fuel efficient mowers are becoming all the rage now, and they’re making an impact on consumers and the fuel market. Small motors that are used in mowers are easy to maintain with the right knowledge or the right mechanic. They won’t suck up so much fuel as older models would have, which will save you a pretty penny in this time of expensive fuel and rising costs.

Mowers use small engines, which are relatively simple to build and maintain. They also use a lot less fuel than larger automobile engines. There are a couple reasons for this, one of which involves the fact that small engines are two-stroke, while larger engines are four-stroke. This means that it needs half the rotations in order for the fuel to spark and create the energy needed to power the mower, or whatever equipment that’s being run on the small engine. This helps with fuel maintenance while other aspects of a small engine simply make it easier to run. For one, since small engines don’t create as much heat, they can be cooled by the surrounding air, while larger engines need cooling liquid to run through it in order to properly cool down.

While power and performance are still important for mowers, manufacturers are spending more time and focus on fuel efficiency as a response to growing cost of fuel. Diesel fuels, which have always been used in small engines, such as the ones that are used in lawn mowers have always added to the machine’s fuel economy. Diesel contains greater energy content than gasoline, giving it more a bang, while also being generally cheaper than gasoline.

Conventional diesel engines, such as what is used in many mowers, can also be run by a form of alternative fuel, called biodiesel fuel. This reusable, natural fuel is made from vegetable oil and animal fat. It runs just fine in diesel engines and is much more fuel efficient. Not to mention there are numerous environmental pluses to using this type of fuel in addition to is being cheap to produce.

Propane is another fuel type that is being worked with by manufacturers, who are using this alternative fuel source to power newer models of mowers. Propane is cheaper and can be used to power many types of mowers, making it a popular new choice for people looking to save money in response to the rising costs of gasoline. Propane is also the most widely available type of alternative fuel and is great for the environmentally-conscious types, as it has much less noxious emissions than other fuel types.

A recent development in small engine mower technology is the addition of gasoline engines with Electronic Fuel Injection (EFI) systems. This technology, which has been used by Kohler small engines, a leader in EFI, helps with fuel economy in traditional carbureted engines. The monetary savings you get when using Kohler engines that enable EFI technology is reason enough to consider it as a fuel efficient new energy for a motor. For every $3.00 gallon of gasoline used in a mower, EFI technology will make it efficient enough to actually save $0.75. That’s an impressive feat, leading a number of top name brands to use Kohler engines in their products.

So, as price continues to rise on the fuel front, mower manufacturers are coming up with new technologies and alternative fuel sources. It’s changing the face of small engines and mower technology, and it’s very possible these changes will make a lasting influence on the fuel economy of mowers. It will be only a matter of time to see if these cheaper alternatives will stick around, if and when gas prices fall.

-Ben Anton, 2007

Ben Anton lives in Portland, OR and writes for Repower Specialists, LTD.
Read more about available fuel efficient small engine options.

Visit the Repower Specialists site specializing in golf cart repair and repowering.

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Another mild debate of the last few years in the hiking/backpacking community has been that of hiking boots vs. hiking shoes. Some don’t consider this much of a debate, as many hikers & backpackers have made the switch solely to hiking shoes, more commonly known as trail runners. Contrary to what some believe, not everyone wears hiking shoes while hiking. Hiking boots are still alive, and by no means are they outdated or obsolete, as some would have you believe. This article isn’t meant to argue either point of view, just make some basic observations between the two types of footwear.

Following are some statements made by other hikers, backpackers or writers on the subject of hiking boots vs. hiking shoes. These have been gleaned from the several other articles on the subject, as well as posts on blogs & in forums.

Hiking boots are heavier than hiking shoes.

Hiking shoes, being lighter in weight, lessen the strain on feet & legs when hiking over several miles.

Boots are constricting.

Boots normally last longer.

Boots stay wet longer than shoes.

The better ankle support which boots give is a myth.

Water enters boots more easily than shoes.

Feet are cooler in shoes.

Boots cost more than shoes.

Boots require more break-in time.

Boots are better suited for snowy conditions.

Those are just 11 quick statements I’ve read here & there over the last several years. For many it seems, no matter what, shoes win hands down. Some people hike year round in hiking shoes, that’s fine. Again, I believe this is a case of what matches up better with the terrain you’re traversing. Hiking boots are better suited, I believe, for some conditions. Hiking shoes, I also believe, provide a great advantage over boots in other situations. Here are some following observations from my point of view.

Hiking boots are heavier than shoes. I agree. Though there are varying types of materials used in hiking boots, such as full-grain leather, split leather, nubuck & synthetic, boots are on average heavier than hiking shoes. There are different types of boots made for separate conditions, and this is what needs to be considered when deciding whether or not to go with boots or shoes.

Hiking shoes, because they’re lighter, take strain off the feet, legs & back. Again, I agree. A study done many years ago by the U.S. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine revealed that 1 lb on the foot used as much energy as carrying 6 lbs in the backpack. If this is true, then it’s obvious that hiking shoes, because of being lighter, would save wear & tear on the body.

Boots are constricting. This is something, I believe, that’s completely subject to each individual hiker. I use lightweight hiking boots on most of my hikes. They aren’t constricting on my feet.

Boots last longer. Part of me leans toward a yes, but reluctantly. Depending on the style boot, a pair of boots can last longer than a pair of shoes. Heavy leather boots built for mountaineering will outlast both lighter weight boots & shoes hands down. This type of boot can be resoled more than once, proving that the sole will wear out long before the boot itself will. I’ve seen people wear out shoes quicker than I’ve worn out boots in the same amount of time. How a person walks does much to determine the life of a boot or shoe.

Boots stay wet longer. Again, this depends on the type of boot. Heavy leather boots will take a long time to dry when severely wet. Lightweight boots which are made with fabric & nubuck leather can dry in the same given time as a pair of hiking shoes. The amount of materials in the boot or shoe & the materials themselves determine drying time.

Boots don’t give better ankle support. Depending on the type of boot, they do in fact give better ankle support. Higher-cut boots can aid in ankle support & give more leverage on uneven trails or cross-country routes.

Water enters boots more easily than shoes. This statement doesn’t make sense to me. If you’re wearing either mid-cut or high-cut boots, trekking through a few inches of water, the boot will protect your feet more than a low-cut shoe. To me, this is obvious. Coupled with a pair of gaiters, water will have a more difficult time entering your boot & getting your feet wet.

Feet are cooler in shoes. Another point I agree with. Because the amount & thickness of materials used in their construction, a hiking shoe is lighter and will be cooler to wear. If you’re hiking in an area that’s extremely dry & hot, shoes may be a better choice for you.

Boots cost more than shoes. This is generally true. Average cost of boots is anywhere from $120-170. Shoes average anywhere from $30-120. Yet compared with the lifespan of each type of footwear, it’s possible to spend less for a pair of boots than for 2-3 pair of shoes.

Boots take longer to break in. For heavy leather boots, the answer is definitely yes. Yet with the lightweight hiking boots on the market today, this characteristic is very comparable. However, I do give the edge to shoes on this.

Boots are better suited for snowy conditions. If there’s quite a bit of accumulation, yes, boots should be opted for in this situation. Yet I’ve seen & know hikers that still wear hiking shoes with a few inches of snow on the ground. If you’re just passing through an area such as this, then it’s probably not going to hinder you too much. But for winter hiking in known snow-country, I believe it’s foolish not to wear some type of hiking boots.

What it ultimately comes down to is your personal preference. There’s really no right or wrong answer to which is better to hike in, boots or shoes. It depends on you. No one can tell you which feels better on your feet, which is more comfortable, or even which will last longer. These are all subject to your hiking personality, the way you hike. Go into your local outfitter and try on several pairs of boots & shoes, then decide. Once you’ve decided, get out and put those things to work! Even if you buy something you’re not completely happy with, as long as they don’t cause you pain, just use them till it’s time for a new pair.

Steve H. is a lover of nature & being involved in outdoor activities. Whether it be hiking, biking, kayaking or some other form of adventure seeking, he enjoys the world around him, as well as seeking ways to help preserve the environment. He maintains the blog, http://www.crudeanalysiz.blogspot.com, chronicling his hikes & outdoor adventures, including both gear & book reviews.

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Any parent with a shy child knows that being put in front of a large crowd and asking them to perform well is like a death sentence. Crying, panic attacks and failure are nearly a guaranteed result. There is a distinct difference between children who don’t like sports and those who just break down at game time. So, how do you get your child to enjoy team sports and participate in all that a team requires? The answer will depend on your child, but here is a great place to start:

1. Have a Talk with the Coach. This is the most important step to helping your child move forward. It is important that the coach understand your child’s issues and allow for them to be worked through. For instance, in the case of my child, she always did well in practice, but broke down at game time. She was actually one of the better players on the team, but just couldn’t pull it together for the games. The coach was very frustrated and assumed I was coddler her too much by not pushing her to stay in the game. After my talk with the coach, however, he just encouraged her to come to the first two games and told her she didni’t have to play. Then, he said she could just play one quarter (it was soccer). Having the coach understand why things are happening will change their attitude and allow the coach and child to communicate in a positive manner.

2. Encourage and Support Your Child. Don’t push too hard, but don’t let them quit either. Allowing them to quit will not help them in the long run. Even if it means only playing one quarter, or even one play of the season, they are on a team. Teaching them to work through hard times and knowing you are there to help them will build their confidence. The sense of accomplishment they experience will bleed over into other areas, like school.

3. Allow Them to Express Their Emotion. If they need to cry, let them. For a shy child to work through performing in from of large groups of people is a very bold and courageous thing. It takes a lot of energy and sometimes they need a release.

Whenever your child has issues, you must delicately balance encouraging them to be strong and finishing the task with allowing them to move at their own pace. Helping your child become more self-confident and overcome some extreme shyness is a process that must be taken step-by-step, but its one that every child can win.

You can find more parent related topics at my blog and website Every Kind of Mom.

C.D. Watson is the author of this article and enjoys sharing her views on a variety of popular topics. She is an entrepreneur and has written several hundred articles in her areas of expertise and life experience. Visit http://www.everykindofmom.com for more.

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Auto repair scams and a dishonest auto repair shop are so easy to find.

First a few facts I dug up about auto repair rip-offs.

The Consumer Federation of America states, auto repair rip-offs are consistently one of the top five most

frequently reported consumer complaints. National figures indicate $20 billion is spent annually on unnecessary or faulty auto repairs.

The California Bureau of Automotive Repair receives around 25,000 auto repair complaints a year.

With that said, I have personally seen so many different ways to rip people off in the auto repair business that it is hard to pick out the most common scams because each auto repair shop has its favorite.

So I will concentrate on the most common scams and rip offs that I have seen and heard about in my 23-year career as a certified master technician in the automotive service retail business.

To get started on the most common scams we have to talk about a few different rip offs as related to the common brake job. Brake job scams are so popular that whole franchise businesses have been built around them and specialize in just doing brake jobs.

These companies have recognized the pure profit potential from performing brake service. Auto repair Brake scams are easily sold to the UN educated consumer do to the safety factors involved.

We all no the importance of being able to stop the vehicle in emergency situation.

Once again the auto repair shop uses this to their advantage and sells you unneeded services in the name of safety.

The most offten used brake service scam is the complete brake system overhaul. I will use a specific example to show you how this works. You go into a auto repair chain store to have your brakes checked. Maybe you heard some brake squeal or brake noise that concerned you.

So you bring your 1999 Chevy blazer that has 75,000 miles on it to an auto repair shop to have the brakes checked. The shop could do a standard brake job or a hang and turn as we call it. A hang and turn is replacing the brake pads and resurfacing the rotors. This service would retail for around $110.00 but the

auto repair shop would prefer to make more. So they recommend a brake system overhaul.

The brake system overhaul will mean different things to different auto repair shops. In most cases they are

talking about overhauling the brake calipers by replacing the seals in the calipers.

A caliper seal kit is very cheap in parts cost and very high in labor costs. The seal kit usually has about 3 or 4 rubber seals in it and cost the shop about $3.00

They then charge you $20.00 for the kit and another 2.0 hours per caliper to install the seals. But here is the scam part.

The caliper seals are internal and it’s hard to verify that they were actually replaced. The outer seal known as the dust seal is usually the only seal that will get replaced during this unneeded service.

The mechanic then throws away the remainder of the brand new seals. The shop usually includes a brake system flush in this service, which I will attack in a moment.

The first auto repair issue to address is do we really need a caliper overhaul. In most cases no we don’t. Why is this true? The manufacturers make fantastic calipers from the factory. The reason being it is an extremely important safety related part.

The manufacture must be sure their vehicle meets stopping distance requirements. They must also be sure that the calipers are over engineered to last for the life of the vehicle. The manufacture cannot afford to go to court for lawsuits on brake system failures.

Now with this being said do calipers ever need to be overhauled? Yes on rare cases this is the case. But

there are warning signs that the service is required. The Number one sign that a caliper is failing is a

strong brake pull.

To explain, this is when the vehicle pulls right or left during braking only.

The harder you brake the harder it pulls to one side. This is because a caliper is binding on one side or the

other. Equal braking force is not be applied. Tell tale sign # 2 is if the red brake warning light is illuminated on the dash. This can indicate the brake fluid is low and may be caused by a brake fluid leak from a caliper.

In any case the way the caliper service should be addressed by the auto repair shop is to replace both front calipers at the same time. I do not trust the individual mechanic to overhaul my calipers.

I would rather replace both front calipers with either new or remanufactured calipers.

This way you are assured you have reliable calipers installed. Some remanufactured calipers come loaded with new brake pads and now you have new calipers and brake pads that the auto repair mechanic can just bolt on.

This requires very little skill from the mechanic and makes for a very reliable auto repair.

Most auto repair shops will do this if requested.If they are not willing to do the repair the right way this should raise a red flag in your mind and moving the vehicle to another shop would be best. Remember That an educated consumer is the auto repair shop’s worst nightmare.

Mark Gittelman Is an ASE Certified Master Technician with 23 Years of front Line experience in the auto repair business. His Web site http://www.certifiedmastertech.com was created to help auto repair shop customers avoid rip-offs and scams. His new book A Mechanics Secrets Revealed is a shocking and in-depth look into the auto repair world. This new book is a powerful tool to help you fight against the dishonest auto repair shop. Visit the free blog spot at http://certifiedmastertech.blogspot.com/

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Modern society revolves around concepts such as beauty and originality, ideals that have been embraced and implemented by fashion designers worldwide. Undoubtedly, fashion has always been a powerful means of expression, as the way we dress reflects our cultural provenience, mentality, personality, and even our feelings. In addition, fashion has the great merit of combining practicality with aesthetics, and could be perceived as “a pragmatic form of art”. Being influenced by many different cultural and social factors and permanently adapting to the needs and requirements of a continuously developing society, fashion has suffered a lot of radical changes over the course of time. During its ongoing process of evolution, it has generated many different styles and trends, revealing traits characteristic to each distinctive generation.

Despite the fact that it has created many tendencies and has evolved continuously in conformity with the society’s ideals and needs, fashion has only recently begun to pay equal attention to all categories of age. Although they were generally neglected in the past by clothing manufacturers, children nowadays form an important segment of clients in the fashion industry, enjoying an extensive and varied range of clothing appropriate for their age. The children’s clothing industry has only recently begun to achieve a good exposure and popularity, gaining a lot of ground over the past few years.

As the children’s clothing industry was growing in popularity, more and more fashion designers decided to focus their work exclusively on designing clothes for young children and babies. Soon, the offer became more and more diversified, children’s clothes gaining a lot in aspect and originality. Supermarkets and clothing stores began to fill up with ingenious and colorful clothing articles for children, lots of shops even specializing in exclusively selling children’s clothes. In contrast to yesterday’s children’s clothes – poorly designed and, let’s face it, quite dull – today’s children’s clothes are ingenious and appealing, stimulating their imagination and building their sense of aesthetics and beauty. Ranging from little boys’ suits and little girls’ accessorized dresses to cartoon-character costumes and even superhero outfits, children’s clothes are nowadays created to adequately satisfy the needs and desires of the very young.

Visibly enjoying “the attention” granted to them by the fashion industry, lots of children nowadays spend more and more time looking for the most interesting and imaginative clothing items they can find. Mesmerized by so many clothing models, designs and colors, many children can hardly decide upon a single item in particular! As soon as they step inside children’s clothing stores, children are immersed in a colorful and magnificent world, similar to the world created by toy stores. Funnily, lots of today’s children equally enjoy paying visits to both children’s clothing stores and toy stores – fact that reveals the young generations’ interest towards clothes, and thus their inclination towards originality, aesthetics and sense of beauty.

Seen through the perspective of their prices in general, children’s clothes have lately become increasingly more affordable. While a few years ago parents had to spend a small fortune to offer their children good-quality articles of clothing, nowadays they can buy appropriate clothes for considerably smaller sums of money. Several major factors that have led to the reduction of children’s clothing prices are: substantial clothes imports, the appearance of many discount-shops on the market and the equal distribution of the merchandise between supermarkets and clothing stores.

Online stores have also had a great contribution to the depreciation of children’s clothing prices, offering customers high-quality yet cheaper clothing articles. Children’s clothing online stores have become very popular, as they provide customers with cost-effective alternatives to similar, shop-purchased products. Online stores offer clients the possibility to choose among hundreds of different clothing items such as boys’ suits, boys’ shirts and trousers, girls’ dresses, girls’ trousers, girls’ capes, unisex clothing items, as well as various accessories such as ties, bows, shoes and booties – all categorized according to size and age. Apart from having affordable prices and an extensive offer, children’s clothing online stores also allow customers to purchase their desired products online, thus helping them save time and effort.

So, if you want to find out more information from sazoo about children’s clothing and especially about boys’ suit, please follow these links.

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Any great Chef, worthy of his reputation, will tell you that Gourmet cooking is an art form. To prepare a truly genuine gourmet meal you must be willing to cook from scratch using the best of everything that is required for your recipe and, of course, this will mean being very selective in your choice of meat, fish or produce. Food items should be chosen for their freshness and quality and appearance.

Those who possess the ability to achieve the highest standards in creating gourmet cooking are usually very successful in this field. As well as being able to command a high salary for their services they can achieve a high status in this profitable, yet meticulous, industry. For those talented professionals endless opportunities are open to them whether it be opening and running a catering establishment, designing cookery books or guesting in cookery programmes on television. The better they master their craft the more in demand they will be.

Being a successful gourmet cook is not only reliant on a certain amount of artistic flair but an element of science is required. Gourmet cooking does require study and dedication, but, above all, will only succeed if the gourmet cook is brave enough to experiment with ingredients that he or she knows will combine well together. A good gourmet good will possess an exceptional palate. So, with the courage of their convictions they can create a sublime taste experience.

The choice of menu for a gourmet cook is in some way reliant upon what ingredients are at their best for that time of year. A good gourmet cook would make a sacrifice on the quality of their meat or produce. Knowing how to flavour your dish correctly is quite a talent. You need to be able to distinguish subtle flavours of herbs and spices in your dishes, as well as whatever else you have included in your creation. Your ingredients should complement each other, not one overpowering the other.

We take our enjoyment in gourmet food from many of our senses. Of course, the flavour and texture must be perfect, but your dish must be visibly appealing. Garnishing is an important element to gourmet cooking and will enhance the appearance of your dish. We also rely on our sense of smell to increase our pleasure in food and the inclusion of ingredients that have a wonderful bouquet all add to the experience All your dishes should be presented with care and creativity, and skillfully arranged.

Attention should always be taken when displaying your meal, regardless how simple or complicated it may be. With a little artistic license even an ordinary meal can be transformed. Gourmet cooking is a subject that is limitless. New recipes or ingredients from other parts of the world are constantly being experimented with. Gourmet cooking is exciting and challenging but certainly not for the unadventurous or those who wish to stick to tried and tested philosophy.

For those who wish to push the boundaries of their knowledge are willing to learn more about gourmet cooking there is a wealth of support, advice and hands-on training programmes.

Great gourmet food is ever changing and evolving. This is largely due to those enthusiastic individuals who are passionate about achieving the highest standard in gourmet cooking and are unafraid to try new and interesting combinations by experimenting with previously untried ingredients. Gourmet cooks never compromise in their quest for excellence and our always accepting of new and interesting ideas from whatever part of the globe they come from. Like any other subject in life the more effort that is put in the greater the rewards. But the key to success is to enjoy being creative and take the greatest of pleasure in what you are doing! If you possess these qualities you may be on the road to a wonderful career in gourmet cooking.

Abhishek is really passionate about Cooking and he has got some great Cooking Secrets. up his sleeves! Download his FREE 88 Page Ebook, “Cooking Mastery!” from his website http://www.Cooking-Guru.com/770/index.htm. Only limited Free Copies available.

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There is Southern Cooking and then there is SOUTHERN COOKING! You can follow a recipe and still come out with a dish that does not resemble what the recipe intended. The reason is technique and the little secrets that are not included in the recipe.

Technique is as important as the ingredients and proper technique helps you avoid the following common mistakes made by novice cooks. You can find many free Southern recipes on the internet, but few web sites provide the additional information needed to to be a real Southern cook. So when you find a site that does, bookmark it and stick with it for your Southern recipes. (See Resource Box below for recommendation).

7 Biggest Mistakes:

1. Failure to Properly Preheat Oven When Baking.

Have you ever made cornbread that came out soft and crumbly without a crust? Or biscuits that did not rise and have a gray color? It was probably due to the fact that your oven was not properly preheated. When baking, the crust is set in the first 10 minutes. So, if you want a nice, golden crust on your cornbread, be sure to get the oven up to 400 degrees before you put the cornbread in.

Ovens vary in how long it takes to reach a given temperature. Some ovens will reach 400 degrees in 4-5 minutes. Some will take as long as 15 minutes. A good practice is to get a thermometer (any food thermometer that goes up to 425 degrees will work) and time how long it takes your oven to reach 250, 350, 400 and 425 degrees. Write it down and keep it handy if you can not remember. Then always allow the alloted time to reach the desired temperature before beginning your baking.

2. Undercooked Vegetables

Keep in mind we are talking about Southern cooking. Not Chinese or West Coast casseroles. Many vegetables, Southern Style, are cooked considerably longer than most people tend to cook them. Specifically, green beans are cooked until soft and dark green in color. They are not crunchy and bright green. Okra and green tomatoes, are cooked until some burned edges appear and are very crunchy. As a general rule boiled vegetables are cooked until very tender and fried foods are cooked until crunchy (this goes for cornbread, fried chicken and pork chops, too).

3. Failure to Use Cast Iron

I have never researched all the reasons why, but Southern cooking is best cooked in cast iron cook-ware. The cast iron holds and transfers heat unlike any other type metal. Food just does not cook the same in aluminum or steel. Especially cornbread. Besides, it is the traditional way to cook Southern.

Older cast iron tends to have problems with rust and food sticking, but the newer cook-ware comes already cured (seasoned) so it is not as much a problem. However, it is not difficult to cure your cast iron if you have an older style. You can get complete, free instructions in the web referrals below.

4. Failure to Use Onions and Bacon

Onions and bacon (or bacon grease) are used extensively in Southern cooking. Some cooks, however, stray away form cooking real Southern because they (or family members) do not like onions and/or concerns about the fat content in bacon.

They do this because they fail to understand the reason for using bacon and onions. They are NOT in the recipe so that you taste onions or bacon. They are there only to provide subtle flavor. A unique Southern flavor. If you do not like onions, use only a small amount and remove the onion from the dish before serving (put onion in cheesecloth while cooking and it is easy to remove). If you are concerned about the calorie content of bacon, do not use whole bacon. Just add 1/2 tsp of grease from previously cooked bacon. And, accept the fact that Southern cooking is not inherently low fat. It is meant to be flavorful and robust. So, use that bacon and onion for real Southern dishes.

5. Overworking Dough

Southern breads are meant to be light and fluffy. Even cornbread should not be heavy and solid. Many Southern cooks never learn how to make good biscuits. And homemade Southern Biscuits are the trademark of good Southern cooks.

Three errors cause bad biscuits (and other breads). First, do not overwork the dough. Biscuit dough should only be kneaded three times. No more. Just enough to shape it for cutting out the biscuits.

Second, when cutting the dough, do not push down and twist the biscuit cutter. Push straight down and straight back up. Twisting compacts the edges of the dough and causes uneven cooking.

Third, remember the previous mistake above…preheat your oven. A cold oven can result in flat, hard biscuits.

6. Yellow Cornmeal and Sugar in cornbread

Everyone has their own preference, but, please do not use yellow cornmeal in cornbread. It may be mental, but it just does not taste the same as white cornmeal. Besides it looks funny. And, NEVER, NEVER put sugar in cornbread if you want authentic Southern cornbread. Cornbread is bread to accompany a meal. It is not dessert. It is not cake! It is BREAD. So, if you like sweet cornbread…go ahead and use your sugar…but, do not call it Southern Cornbread!

7. Failure to Use buttermilk

All good Southern cooks use buttermilk in everything except desserts. Regular milk does not add the flavor that buttermilk does. Especially in any dish with cornmeal (cornbread, hush puppies, tamale pie, etc.). If you do not have buttermilk, you can make a reasonable substitute by stirring 1 tablespoon of white vinegar in a cup of regular milk. Allow to sit for a minute before use.

These are some of the most common mistakes (or lack of Southern cooking technique) made in Southern cooking. You can ignore all of them and make eatable food, but it will not be traditional Southern. Even some good Southern cooks fail to comply with all the above, but they have probably developed a variation of these same techniques.

So, get in that kitchen, fire up the stove and make your family a real Southern dinner tonight.

Ken Miller is a free lance writer and webmaster for http://www.olsouthrecipes.com, Southern Recipes – Southern Cooking, where you can find FREE recipes for the most popular, authentic Southern dishes like fried chicken, fried okra, biscuits and gravy, cornbread and many more.

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Dining out can be problematic for those of us who are trying to lose weight. When we are surrounded by all of the delicious scents of various fried and sizzled foods, it is often difficult to stick to our diets. We try to justify it for ourselves by saying that we can skip our low fat dinner routine just this once. However, that is exactly how weight gain starts. If you are currently on a diet then dining out should not change your eating habits. You should always stick with healthy alternatives versus empty calories. In this article I will provide you with several nutrition tips when dining out.

1. Always choose simply prepared foods. Anything broiled, roasted, and baked is far healthier than fried or sautéed. You should also try to avoid casseroles and foods which are served in heavy sauces and gravies.
2. When in doubt, always ask the waiter whether your meal can be prepared without butter, margarine, gravy or any other sauces. More and more restaurants are currently a lot more accommodating to customers.
3. When ordering a salad, be sure to ask for low fat dressing and to request dressing on the side. When dressing is on the side you have better control over how much you consume.
4. When choosing a side, stay away from loaded mashed potatoes and fries, instead ask for steamed or grilled veggies.
5. when its time for dessert and you just have to have something, instead of ice cream, cake, or pie, try fruit salad, nonfat frozen yogurt, or sherbet. If they don’t carry any healthy alternatives, suggest dessert somewhere else.

So if you want to lose weight [http://www.weightdepot.com], be sure to keep your guard up when dining out. Various herbal remedies, such as all natural hoodia, can also help you control your appetite when dining out.

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You’ve probably read the previous piece on North Indian breads. This article focuses on North Indian cooking, which includes cooking style, spices used, terminology and some common foods.

North Indian cooking is nearly always quite spicy and uses a large number of spices in any given dish. The terms used for various dishes are normally descriptive of the food itself like Jeera Aloo for instance, which literally translates to ‘Cumin seed Potatoes’. Like most cultures there are also some misleading names like ‘Butter Chicken’, which is actually marinated chicken cooked in a tandoor and served in smooth, tomato gravy and doesn’t contain any butter. There are also terms which aren’t related to the food in question, like Pulao, which is rice cooked with spices and vegetables. The term sabzi (sub-zee) is used quite liberally when describing nearly any dry, vegetable preparation. The same applies to the term dal, which is used for most types of lentils. The term tari (tuh-ree) denotes gravy and is suffixed to the name of a dish when it has gravy.

In these days of fusion food, it is difficult to pin down a set of spices that a given region can claim. However, traditionally, north Indian cooking uses the following spices and herbs:

• Cumin seed (Jeera)
• Ajowan or (Ajwain)
• Red Chili Powder I – Flavor over color (Lal Mirch)
• Red Chili Powder II – Color over flavor (Degi Mirch or Kashmiri Mirch)
• Turmeric Powder (Haldi)
• Dried Mango Powder (Aamchur)
• Coriander Seeds (Sabat Dhania)
• Coriander Powder (Dhania)
• Fresh Coriander Leaves (Hara Dhania)
• Green Cardamom (Choti Elaichi)
• Black Cardamom (Badi Elaichi)
• Cinnamon (Dalchini)
• Garam Masala – A set mixture of spices – roasted cumin, cinnamon, cloves, caraway seeds, nutmeg (and/or mace) and green cardamom seed or black cardamom pods. The composition of Garam Masala changes from region to region.
• Dried Fenugreek Leaves (Kasuri Methi)
• Black Mustard Seeds (Rai)

This list is by no means complete – there are many more spices used in every day North Indian cooking – the purpose of this article however is to provide a feel for North Indian cooking.

Different spices are used in different situations, in different ways. The flavor and characteristics of spices change if you’re dry roasting them, frying them, adding them before simmering to cook or after cooking.

Our first foray into traditional North Indian cooking could start with a simple vegetable preparation, which we could either call Aloo ki Sabzi (‘Vegetable Preparation of Potatoes’) or Jeera Aloo (Cumin seed Flavored Potatoes).

Cumin Seed Potatoes / Jeera Aloo

Ingredients

- 3 Large Baking Potatoes

-One onion, chopped fine

-1 tsp Cumin seed

-1 tsp Turmeric Powder

-1 tsp Chili Powder

-1 tsp Coriander Powder

-1 tsp Dried Mango Powder

-Salt to taste

-Chopped fresh coriander for garnishing

-Oil for frying

Method

First peel your potatoes, dice and then boil in lightly salted water. Then drain and let cool. Heat oil in your pan and add the cumin seed. After 2 – 3 seconds of crackling, add the onions and fry, stirring lightly for about a minute on low heat. Now add all the spices, except the dried mango powder and mix well. Throw in the potatoes, which should be nice and firm now and toss well, so the onion-spice mixture coats the potatoes all over. Simmer for about 5 – 7 minutes. Finally, add the dried mango powder and toss the potatoes on high heat, till there’s a thick, spicy sludge adhering to the potatoes. Garnish with the fresh, chopped coriander prior to serving.

These can be served with Rotis, filled in toasted sandwiches or just eaten as is for a snack.

As you can see, this everyday dish uses 5 different spices and one herb. There are some traditional dishes that use up to 30 different spices! These are now (in most part) a thing of the past and cooked only on very special occasions.

As an example, let’s say we’d like to try our hand at cooking a simple north Indian dish without a recipe, simply going by the style. Obviously we’ll need some north Indian spices, the most common of which are Jeera (cumin seed), Haldi (turmeric powder), Namak (salt) and Mirch (chili powder). The first step, in nearly every dish is to fry onions as it is a staple in north Indian cooking. When pink/transparent, we add some spices and fry some more. This gives us a thick sauce to which we can add a little water if we wish. This sauce will coat the vegetables or meat we’ll add later. Here’s a simple example.

Onion and Tomato Sabzi / Pyaaz Tamatar ki Sabzi

Ingredients

-3 Large tomatoes, chopped roughly

-Two Onions, chopped roughly

-2 large cloves of garlic, finely sliced

-1 tsp Cumin seed

-1 tsp Turmeric Powder

-1 tsp Dried Mango Powder

-1 tsp Chili Powder

-Salt to taste

-Oil for frying

Method

The process is really quite simple – we heat a little oil, add the onions, fry a little, add the garlic and continue frying till the onions are pink or translucent. Then we add the rest of the spices except the dried mango powder, mix well and finally toss in the tomatoes. The dried mango powder goes in at the end.

One major feature of Indian cooking is that vegetables are rarely left crisp or crunchy. They’re nearly always cooked till they’re very soft. This isn’t very good for the nutrition content of the veggies and I’d recommend cooking them till they’re just done and still have a bit of bite left.

The pan will be kept on a simmer for 5 – 10 minutes, till the tomatoes are cooked through. Finally we stir in the dried mango powder and it’s ready to eat! This dish is usually eaten with Rotis.

As you can see, the pattern is similar – fry onions (if using), spices, toss in vegetables, nuke them (or not) and serve. Now that we have an idea of the basics involved, let’s get on to the secrets!

The Cooking Methods (by Naheed)

Secret 1: Bhuno well.

This is an extremely important process and involves frying spices to extract most of their flavor. Remember not to overheat the oil (unless it is mustard oil, which has to be heated till it emits some smoke & does not froth when something is put in it). If dry powdered masala is being used, the oil should not be hot as the dry spices will burn. Some amount of water must be added if you feel the spices may burn. When making the masala, use onion paste along with ginger & garlic to which you will add other spices as required.

For meat however, the method is quite different. This is the last process for cooking meat in quite a few cases, or the process just before adding water to make the gravy. It is believed the real flavor of meat develops only if you devote upward of 10 minutes to this process. Meat releases some of its own fat which mixes with the spices and then the oil cooks the meat and helps the meat absorb the mixed flavors of the spices. How long to do so, is a question that has no fixed answer. As a guideline, stop when either the meat becomes too tender or the gravy becomes completely dry, or your guests start to get very restless. You will also notice that the meat & gravy tend to stick to the vessel if you do not stir them constantly. If they do, scrape it off; and if the gravy gets too dry, add yoghurt or water.

Secret 2: Bagharna

This is a simple process and is called Chaukna in Hindi. Here dry spices are added to hot oil and this concoction is added to a dish (e.g. Dal). Although a simple process, do not burn the spices. In fact it is advised that once you have added the spices, remove the vessel from the fire.

Secret 3: Dum Cooking

This is the art of slow cooking. It enables individual flavors to intermingle properly. This is also the method used for the last few minutes when cooking rice or biryani. In the old days, when food was cooked on coal or wood, the only way was to raise the distance between the flame & the vessel, or put the vessel in the dying embers, seal the lid of the dish with flour & put a few embers of coal on top of the lid. In dum cooking, it is essential the fire be at its lowest and the food will therefore take a while before it’s done. Rest assured that your patience will be amply rewarded. Thankfully modern cooking presents us with newer methods and one of the easiest is to put the whole vessel in an oven. If you do not have one, put a griddle (tawa) on the flame & then put the vessel on it. Also note that dum cooking meat will make the ingredients (meat, vegetables) exude the moisture or water within. A word of caution here: Try not to use a pressure cooker or the meat will not turn out right.

Secret 4: Frying

Simple you’d say. Well, yes it is. However, there are two types of frying. One is frying to cook and the other one to brown. For deep frying it is essential that there be sufficient oil to cover the item. For browning, the oil can be less but must be at a low temperature.

Secret 5: Using earthenware

Not only is earthenware cheap in India but it was also the first form of disposable crockery. Most desserts in India were traditionally served either on banana leaves or in earthenware crockery. Some of the better known five star restaurants in India still use earthenware. If you’ve noticed, tea at Indian railway stations is still served in earthenware glasses. Not only is it environmentally friendly, a special earthy flavor permeates the tea, which no cooking method can simulate.

Secret 6: Kewda Water

Kewda is the derivative of a desert plant with very fragrant leaves. The essential oil of this is heavily diluted in water which is used as a perfuming agent for food. Typically used in Firni and Zarda among other desserts and has no parallel.

The Ingredients

Secret 1: Dahi or Yoghurt

This is a wonder ingredient. Yoghurt lends a light buttery flavor to the creation as well as a light creamy consistency. For example, it is the base for some dishes like Rizala where the original flavor of yoghurt is completely transformed. Yoghurt when cooked transforms in taste to lightly sour and gives the gravy a creamy texture. All in all, it is an essential item. In a few dishes, it may be substituted by tomato puree but then the final result will be slightly different. Did you know vegetables cooked in yoghurt retain their shape? In fact in Dumpukth Fish, it is the yoghurt that preserves the shape of the fish. Also, at times if you have mistakenly added extra salt, add a splash of whisked yoghurt and cook for a while.

Secret 2: Onions

This is an essential ingredient in a lot of dishes and is commonly used for salads. A handy tip on handling onions is to remove the outer dry skin, cut in half and wash thoroughly to prevent your eyes from watering. Onions lend a sweetish flavor to cooking and are a common masala base. However when fried then mixed, the taste is totally different. So when the recipe says “fry onions”, you’d better fry them.

Secret 3: Cumin

There are two types of cumin seeds. The common white cumin seeds which are cheap are used mainly in vegetarian dishes. They are more often than not fried to get their flavor out. Sometimes as in a raita, they are dry roasted on a tawa and then ground. However, the more expensive black cumin seeds or Shah Jeera as they are commonly known as, are quite different in taste and flavor. The two are rarely substituted. Most restaurants substitute them in rice preparations, but then, what you get is something totally different.

Final Recipe

Now that we have quite a good idea of what’s involved in North Indian cooking, perhaps a slightly complex recipe is in order – Nihari. This is definitely not one of the dishes that one finds on the menu of five star restaurants. This is one of the dishes eaten with a lot of passion by all. In fact to have Nihari one must have the zest to wake up before dawn because it is a very hot meal and in most places where it is served, the service is over by 9am. It is a delectable broth of meat, cooked over a slow fire, mostly overnight and eaten in the early hours of the morning with a tandoori roti and an assortment of fresh herbs accompanied by loads of lemon. The meat is fulfilling and the broth is had as a refreshing and a rather hot soup. The other reason why one has it as a breakfast meal and that too only in winter is because it makes you feel very thirsty and rather warm. Don’t tell me I didn’t warn you.

Nihari

Ingredients

• 1 kg Nihari meat (or any other meat that’s available)
• 250 grams Onions, sliced
• 3/4 cup Ghee
• 2 tbsp ginger paste
• 2 tbsp garlic paste
• 2 tbsp dry roasted chickpea flour
• 1/2 – 1 tsp red chili powder
• 1 tsp Coriander powder
• 1/4tsp Turmeric powder
• Salt to taste

Spice mixture

Grind together the following:1/4 tsp. dried ginger, 1/4 tsp. mace, 1/2 tsp. fennel, 1/2 tsp. white cumin seeds, 2 large cardamom, 4 small cardamoms, 4 cloves, 6 black pepper seeds

Preparation

Preparation time 30 minutes | Cooking time 2-3 hours

• Add 2/3rd of the onions in moderately hot oil and when the onion goes soft add ginger & garlic paste along with ground coriander and turmeric powder and let it fry for about 3-4 minutes or until the oil comes on top again.
• Add the meat and cook over slow fire. The meat will let out its own water.
• When it is semi cooked, add the chick pea flour to 2 cups of water and leave the broth to cook over very slow fire for at least 45 minutes.
• The slower you cook the more flavors you will draw out.
• Keep the pot covered but no pressure cookers please.
• When the meat is as tender as it can get, add the spice mixture along with the leftover onions.

On a parting note, while cooking methods remain largely consistent and typical, knowing the spices will help tremendously. So while you’re cooking go on and add that sprinkle of black mustard seeds to hot oil and watch them crackle or throw in some curry leaves and savor the change in flavors!

Sid Khullar has written nearly 400 articles on food, cooking and other related subjects on Chef at Large. He welcomes recipe and photo contributions and is always looking to meet people passionate about the culinary arts.

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