Understanding French Sauces (Part One)
June 23, 2010 by Christian Bloggers
Filed under Christian Finance
Looking back over the years, I would have to say my favorite serving job was at a little French restaurant in Springfield, MO called Le Mirabelle. Christian Finance was a classically trained French Chef and his wife Bobbi ran the front of the house. The food was incredible and it was arguably the best restaurant in Springfield, MO. It also was Brad Pitt’s favorite restaurant in his hometown. I attribute so much of the respect I have for this business to them and their headwaiter, Jim. It represented so much of what was right about this business in my mind. To this day when I take a shortcut I sometimes get a chill expecting to see Christian or Jim with their arms crossed giving me a disapproving stare from across the room.
One day Chef asked me in his French accent (which after two decades of living here I always suspected was artificially strong) a simple question. He asked if I knew why the French smothered their food in sauce. I admitted to both my lack of knowledge and curiosity. He explained France has a long history of being a battlefield. During wars high quality meat is hard to find. This led the French to come up with thick powerful sauces to cover up the flavor of the low quality meat.
While I will not vouch for the accuracy of his story, I will say that the French sure love their sauces. Americans have taken this to a new level (“Can I get some ranch dressing for my steak?”), but lack the creativity of the French. For this reason French sauces still pop up all over restaurant menus. As a diner or a server, a basic knowledge of these sauces will drastically improve your food IQ. With that in mind, here are the basics of French sauces.
Two basic terms to know:
Roux: A combination of flour and butter or fat to create a thick base. A roux can range from white to brown based upon the type of fat, amount of flour, and cooking time. The whiter the roux the greater it’s thickening value.
Stock: Stock can be made with a variety of meat bones or meatless. Vegetables, seasonings, and meat bones (optional) are added to water and slowly reduced over hours. A stock is light (white) or dark (brown) based on whether the bones are roasted in advance.
From these two items the “mother sauces” are born. In the 19th century, Marie-Antoine Carême first created the concept of a “grand” or “mother’ sauce. These are the sauces others are created from. His classification listed four main sauces that formed the basis of French cuisine. Careme’s four mother sauces were:
Béchamel: White roux with cream
Velouté: Blonde roux and white stock
Espagnole: Brown roux and brown stock
Allemande: Veloute sauce thickened with egg yolk and cream.
Some of you reading this are asking the question, “how can Allemande be a mother sauce if it is based on Veloute?” Others are probably wondering where tomatoes and aioli come into the mix. My regular readers were probably already expecting this, but you will have to come back tomorrow to find out. Tomorrow, we will enter into the 20th century and meet a chef named Auguste Escoffier who created the modern list of mother sauces and designed the modern kitchen. If you work in a kitchen, near a kitchen, or eat in restaurants, Escoffier is someone you owe a debt of gratitude to. Come back tomorrow to find out why.
On a side note: if you came across this post by searching for Le Mirabelle, I would love to hear from you. Any great memories of Christian’s sweetbreads or Beef Wellington? Anyone else still remember how to de-bone a Dover Sole tableside by candlelight? Know where I can hunt down Jim or the Finance’s for an interview? Please leave a comment.
http://tipsfortips.wordpress.com/2010/06/22/understanding-french-sauces-part-one/
The Money Answer Book
May 27, 2010 by Christian Bloggers
Filed under Christian Finance
May 2010 New Christian Book Release!
The Money Answer Book
by David Ramsey
This question and answer book is the perfect resource guide for equipping individuals with key information about everyday money matters.
Questions and answers deal with 100+ of the most-asked questions from The Dave Ramsey Show—everything from budget planning to retirement planning or personal buying matters, to saving for college and charitable giving. This is Dave in his most popular format—ask a specific question, get a specific answer.
About David Ramsey
Dave Ramsey is a personal money management expert, a popular national radio personality, and NYT best-selling author of The Total Money Makeover. A follow-up of his successful NYT Financial Peace and More Than Enough, Ramsey exemplifies his life’s work of teaching others how to be financially responsible.
Ramsey knows first-hand what financial peace means in his own life–living a true rags-to-riches-to-rags-to-riches story. He has since rebuilt his financial life and now devotes himself full-time to helping ordinary people understand the forces behind their financial distress and how to set things right.
Ramsey offers life-changing financial advice as host of a nationally syndicated radio program, The Dave Ramsey Show, which is heard by more than 4.5 M listeners each week on more than 450 radio stations in the USA.
He resides with his wife, Sharon, and their three children in Nashville, Tennessee.
See other Christian Book on Finance at Emmaus Road Christian Store!
http://mikesaturday.wordpress.com/2010/05/27/the-money-answer-book/
Christians: No Fair Heeding Paul on Gays, But Not Jesus on Wealth
March 4, 2010 by Christian Bloggers
Filed under Christian Finance
The reason conservative Christians invariably give for asserting that homosexuality is an egregious sin against God is that the Bible says it is.
“God said it; I believe it” is the conservative Christian’s credo. And it’s an understandable one. It’s easy enough to deride Christian conservatives for taking the Bible too literally — but believing words is, after all, what we all most readily do with them. Especially if we think those words come from God. Talk about your well placed source.
Oh, sure, it’s Paul rather than Jesus who in the Bible says anything at all about homosexuality — but we can put that aside (for now). The fact remains that the language in the Bible that condemns homosexuality (or at least the way that language is most typically translated into English — but can we please stop quibbling?) is unequivocal. Its forceful clarity simply leaves no room for debate about its meaning. Read more
Christian wallpapers Free download
December 18, 2009 by Christian Bloggers
Filed under Christian Finance
http://hellowallpapers.wordpress.com/2009/12/18/christian-wallpapers-free-download/
Christian wallpapers Free download
December 18, 2009 by Christian Bloggers
Filed under Christian Finance
http://hellowallpapers.wordpress.com/2009/12/18/christian-wallpapers-free-download/
Where Your Treasure Is…
December 11, 2009 by Christian Bloggers
Filed under Christian Finance
- Time to examine your priorities.
Written by Matt Wegner Founder and Lead Counselor, Matt Wegner Financial Coaching, www.mattwegnercoaching.com
“For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matthew 6:21) It’s been said that you can learn a lot about someone by looking through their trash. I don’t think you have to go to such extent. It’s pretty easy to see where someone’s heart is by simply looking at their belongings. Do you have that neighbor that spends all his time waxing his three sports cars every weekend? Do you know someone that’s spent more on his bass boat than his retirement plan? How about the hunting enthusiast who has every weapon, tool or gadget known to man but can’t keep his lights on because he is late on his payments? Or the sister-in-law who has enough shoes and clothes to outfit a small army but doesn’t have enough spare change to drop a few coins in the red kettle at Christmas time? Where do you think their heart is? It’s pretty obvious their heart is in their earthly treasures.
There is absolutely nothing wrong with following your passions and dreams to have a good balance in life. I want you to have the things that make you happy. But the keys here are balance and defining happiness. Let’s define happiness for a moment. You can’t buy happiness. You can buy a lot of fun, but there’s always that burning desire for more, for something bigger and better. More money or more “stuff” won’t get you the long-lasting happiness that everyone seeks. The happiest people don’t have everything they want. They want everything they have.
Now bring in the balance. We are constantly making excuses for lack of action in different areas of our lives. I often hear that we just don’t have time to sit down and do a budget together, or to track our spending, or to work out, or, or, or. But more often than not the truth is that we have plenty of time. We just don’t use that time wisely. Think about how much time you spend watching television or talking on the phone? What if you spent that much time and energy on your finances or your family? Now there’s an idea. Think of all the things you could accomplish if you turn off the t.v. one or two hours a week. Finding a good balance in your life comes from examining your priorities and deciding what is truly important, then living according to those priorities.
If you’re not sure where your priorities are, look at your check register and see where your money is going. Your treasures will be stick out like a sore thumb if you take a step back and look at it objectively. This Christmas, take some time to examine where your treasures are and ask yourself if your heart is in the right place. When your heart changes to the right place, the right treasures are not far behind.
- Matt Wegner
Matt Wegner is a personal finance, career, small business and leadership coach focused on teaching his clients the tools for L.I.F.E. (Living In Financial Excellence). Learn more about Matt at www.mattwegnercoaching.com
http://mattwegnercoaching.wordpress.com/2009/12/12/where-your-treasure-is/
Moving Up the Ladder
November 1, 2009 by Christian Bloggers
Filed under Christian Finance
Another day, another dollar.
One of these days, the boss is going to notice I have been the one unlocking the doors, turning on the lights, brewing the first pot of coffee, and checking the answering machine for missed calls.
By the time management gets here, the paper in the copy machine has been filled, the meetings for the day have been confirmed, and I am ready to offer solutions for any obstacles that stand between the company and its success.
And this is what I do every day before it’s time to flip the sign that reads, “Open, please come in.”
I sure hope “one day” is coming soon. I have been waiting for this moment for a long, long time. Every time the boss schedules a time to meet with me, I get excited to think today is that day.
Unfortunately, today looks a lot like yesterday. And yesterday looks a lot like the last few years. And every meeting looks the same too. He always asks for just a little bit more. The request is always predictable.
“Ya think you could do just one more thing for me?”
Of course I can. As if there is another acceptable answer to that question.
I am loyal, hardworking, trustworthy, and determined. What must I do to move forward? What will take me higher? Lord, how do I become more?
King David sang the following prayer as recorded in Psalm 61–
“Hear my cry, O God; attend unto my prayer. From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I. For thou hast been a shelter for me, and a strong tower from the enemy. I will abide in thy tabernacle for ever: I will trust in the covert of thy wings. Selah.
For thou, O God, hast heard my vows: thou hast given me the heritage of those that fear thy name. Thou wilt prolong the king’s life: and his years as many generations. He shall abide before God for ever: O prepare mercy and truth, which may preserve him. So will I sing praise unto thy name for ever, that I may daily perform my vows.”
http://marcusjasso.wordpress.com/2009/10/31/moving-up-the-ladder/
Want to Break Out of Debt? New Ebook
September 18, 2009 by Christian Bloggers
Filed under Christian Finance
This month I have just completed and published an ebook: Free and Clear: Break the Debt Habit and Gain Financial Liberation, an inspirational, motivational personal finance how to book.
Topics include evaluating your finances, organizing, recording and tracking expenses and income, creating a personalized financial plan, how to save, dealing with creditors, repayment of debt.
You can download a free sample at Smashwords.com
http://gracelog.wordpress.com/2009/09/18/want-to-break-out-of-debt-new-ebook/
Running on Fumes, Walking in Prayer
September 11, 2009 by Christian Bloggers
Filed under Christian Finance
It’s hot. The summer heat is bearing down on you as if you are on a beach in Mexico. Except there is only one problem—this is no vacation.
You are wearing your best clothes and the closest gas station is about a mile away—at least that is what you hope. You take one glance back to make sure that your car is still there. It is. It’s bright orange hazard lights flash loudly to let every passerby know that you are the owner of that car.
How could you be so wrong? You noticed the light come on. You even set the tripometer the last time you filled up. According to your calculations, you should still have exactly twenty-two miles until you were completely out of gas.
Obviously, your math is wrong and with every step, your sweat reminds you of all the gas stations that competed for your patronage along the way. A few cents difference in price, the brand of gasoline, the grade—none of these things matter anymore.
And as you repent and promise to God you will never ignore that flickering gas light again, a car pulls up on the shoulder in front of you and puts on its flashers. Could it be that misery has found company? Could they have been just as foolish?
As you approach the vehicle, you realize they have stopped for you. With your heart pounding with excitement, relief, and disbelief, you thank God for His perfect timing. After a few deep breaths, you gather your composure, dry your brow, and meet your new friends.
At the end of the next thirty minutes, you find yourself reviving your car’s ability to move with the precious contents of the infamous plastic red gas can. And while you pour, you realize your promise to God is more than just a future discipline to “fill ‘er up”.
Psalms 116 and King David share your testimony, prayer and promises best—
“I love the LORD, because he hath heard my voice and my supplications. Because he hath inclined his ear unto me, therefore will I call upon him as long as I live. The sorrows of death compassed me, and the pains of hell gat hold upon me: I found trouble and sorrow.
Then called I upon the name of the LORD; O LORD, I beseech thee, deliver my soul.
Gracious is the LORD, and righteous; yea, our God is merciful. The LORD preserveth the simple: I was brought low, and he helped me. Return unto thy rest, O my soul; for the LORD hath dealt bountifully with thee. For thou hast delivered my soul from death, mine eyes from tears, and my feet from falling.
I will walk before the LORD in the land of the living. I believed, therefore have I spoken: I was greatly afflicted: I said in my haste, All men are liars.
What shall I render unto the LORD for all his benefits toward me? I will take the cup of salvation, and call upon the name of the LORD. I will pay my vows unto the LORD now in the presence of all his people. Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints. O LORD, truly I am thy servant; I am thy servant, and the son of thine handmaid: thou hast loosed my bonds. I will offer to thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving, and will call upon the name of the LORD. I will pay my vows unto the LORD now in the presence of all his people. In the courts of the LORD’s house, in the midst of thee, O Jerusalem. Praise ye the LORD.”
http://marcusjasso.wordpress.com/2009/09/11/running-on-fumes-walking-in-prayer/
A Fellow Christian Money Blogger… Here in Frisco.
August 25, 2009 by Christian Bloggers
Filed under Christian Finance
I recently met Jason Price, a Crown money map coach and Christian money blogger who lives right here in Frisco, Texas.
If you are a Christian who wants to apply biblical principles to your finances, and you are struggling with debt or budgeting issues, Jason (and other money map coaches like him) are available for one-on-one coaching sessions at no charge.
Also, make sure you check out his blog, One Money Design.
http://ffplan.wordpress.com/2009/08/25/a-fellow-christian-money-blogger-here-in-frisco/