Author: Stan Lee

Categories
Food

Thai Cuisine: A Beginner’s Guide

If, like most people, you took a holiday in Thailand and were enchanted by the local cuisine and now you would like to learn how to cook the amazing dishes, you have come to the right place. Of course, the Internet hosts a wealth of information about Thai cuisine, with recipes galore and we have gathered some advice from Thai chefs in order to help you create authentic tasting Thai dishes.

  • Take Care with the Chillies – Thai food is known to be very spicy, particularly in the deep South of the country, so a little research on chillies is in order. Any recipe that contains spices should give you enough information to keep the spiciness to a minimum – Thai dishes are generally spicy anyway – while eating Thai food will certainly help to develop a less sensitive palette. There are at least 5 types of chili found in Thailand and generally speaking, the smaller the pepper, the spicier it is, and if you are cooking for friends, you are advised to enquire about spicy foods, just in case someone cannot tolerate hot food.
  • Authentic Thai Ingredients – If you have just had a massage in Pattaya, then you can be sure that all the ingredients are authentic when you cook but for those living elsewhere, there are online suppliers of Thai herbs, spices and other essential food ingredients that can only be found in this region of Southeast Asia. Then you can cook with confidence, knowing you have the right ingredients; besides, if you are using alternative ingredients, the taste will be different and not always a pleasant variation.
  • Vegetable Dishes – Many people’s favourite is ‘Pad Thai’, which is thin rice noodles stir fried with egg and tofu, while adding sugar, chillies, garlic and tamarind, with dried shrimps and peanuts for good measure. The range of Thai vegetables is indeed long and, in many respects, Thailand is the garden of South East Asia, exporting lots of rice and vegetables abroad.
  • Source a Good Quality Wok – Like most things, woks can vary greatly in quality and if you want one that lasts for years, search online for the best quality cooking utensils and invest in a Thai wok. A Teflon coated wok will last for many years and makes sure you buy a known brand with a solid warranty.
  • Coconut Milk – This is an essential ingredient for many Thai curries, with both thick and thin coconut cream that are used to make many dishes and this can be purchased online from a reputable supplier of Asian food products. If you live in Thailand, you can buy freshly made coconut cream by the kg, which comes in a tightly wrapped plastic bag, and coconuts are in abundance in all parts of the country.

The Internet is full of Thai recipes and a Google search will bring up a list of websites that are dedicated to cooking Thai food. If you are planning a visit to Thailand in 2021, make sure to keep abreast on the current Covid-19 situation, which can change at any time.

Categories
5 Things

Can you lose face fat without cosmetic surgery?

Despite the fact that we live in the information age, many of us struggle to know how to achieve our most important goals and aspirations. People who are wondering how to improve their appearances, reduce the signs of aging, and trim their face fat may be in search of some solutions and we are going to discuss some in this article.

Image: Shutterstock

Although it is not exactly a dire concern, wanting to look our best is a sentiment that many of us share. Thus, individuals are trying to learn how to lose face fat overnight, undo the problems of sagging and wrinkling, and improve skin firmness. There are, as one might expect, a variety of ways to deal with this issue from dieting to exercises and of course to the extreme solution of surgery. Without a doubt, some are going to be more effective than others. And some will appeal to certain people more than to others.

One way that some people try to deal with promoting skin smoothness is through a process called microdermabrasion. In microdermabrasion, the skin is, in a sense, sanded smooth just as a piece of wood might be, but through the use of tiny particles. While some people do not mind the idea of using this kind of facelift procedure, others feel uneasy about smoothing the skin in this way. Microdermabrasion is sometimes also used for scar and skin spot removal.

While it may be a helpful way to deal with such external problems, microdermabrasion and similar methods do not generally suffice for people who are trying to figure out how to get rid of face fat and the best anti-aging treatment around.

How to Get Rid of Face Fat

In order to focus their efforts on this particular concern, some people are searching for ways to exercise facial muscles. As odd as this may sound, the facial muscles, like all other muscles, do not stay toned and tightened on their own. Over time, these muscles can weaken and shrink and the skin that covers these muscles then suffers in terms of its appearance. Where muscles are atrophied and the face becomes hollow, skin can consequently sag and wrinkle.

Some people do not realize how intricate the facial muscles are. There are zygomatic muscles around the eyes, temporal muscles around the forehead and upper part of the face, mandibular muscles along the jaw, and so on. These muscles each have their own role and in order to deal with the face in a comprehensive manner, people can utilize certain programs to make sure that they are implicating each area in a strengthening and wrinkle treatment regimen.

Think of various other ways in which we deal with atrophied muscles. Quite simply, we work on those muscles through exercise routines. However, some people who do not want to spend time actively participating in face muscle exercises may be interested to know that there is another way to achieve this goal, another way to provide an answer to people who are figuring out how to get rid of face fat without anti-wrinkle creams or any pills.

Does EMS (Electric Muscle Stimulation) Work?

The basis of this other way is a technology known as Electric Muscle Stimulation. Electric Muscle Stimulation, also known as EMS, is a technology that uses tiny electric pulses to contract and relax muscles over and over again. In this way, the muscles are actually exercised without any active participation from the user. Basically, the Natural Face Lift is a headset device that features two pads that rest on the cheekbones. Although the pads emit the pulses in the cheeks, the muscle stimulation extends to the aforementioned mouth, jaw, and brow muscles.

As time passes, we do not want to see our skin lose its firmness and smoothness. However, we must recognize that part of the reason for this problem is the loss of muscle tone and volume beneath the skin. In this situation, facial exercises are the best way to regain a youthful look. Of course, we might also have to eat healthier for a beautiful look because the skin is very quick on showing a poor diet.

No matter the reasons and your current situation, the truth is getting rid of face fat can be done without surgery. But it does involve changes in lifestyle, diet, and exercise routine, so be prepared to put in some work in order to acquire the healthy, radiant look you are after. Not only this change in lifestyle will be visible on your face and skin, but your entire body will be reinvigorated. This is something no cosmetic surgery can give you for sure.

Categories
Food

Plan Before You Commit to Your Foodie Dream

Many people dream of starting up a restaurant or other type of food business. There are several reasons for this. Sometimes it is a simple as wanting to share your favourite recipes. For others there is a genuine love for cooking, and doing it for a living, is a dream. People take many different paths to get to the point of investing in a food business, but very few of these new businesses survive for more than a couple of years. Before you put your dream into motion, here are a few areas to consider for improving your chances of success.

  • Test Your Concept: Like many things, sometimes our own ideas are not as innovative or clever as we might think. The main obstacle you will face is the truth. People will always support your dreams verbally, but not necessarily financially. Find a way to test your ideas, that people are likely to give an honest answer to, like a focus group. You can test recipes, concepts, and markets in this manner.
  • Make a Business Plan: Just being able to make the world’s best tacos won’t keep you from bankruptcy if you haven’t worked out all the details. A good business plan is the foundation of every successful business. Making a business plan will help you discover hidden problems. Like the real costs of payroll outsourcing in Indonesia, licensing, taxes, rent and equipment. It is difficult to have too much planning.
  • Find a Location: The restaurant business is heavily dependent on location, and the manufacturing industry is less so. Outside of convenience and access, your location will be the source of most of your overhead and fixed costs. Finding a cheap location may have other drawbacks. You need to consider licensing and regulations. And If you are serving food, you should try to be where people want to be already. Unless you are a famous chef, it is unlikely people will go out of their way to find you.
  • Research Equipment: Food industry equipment is the best there is, and it comes with a high price tag because it is usually built very well and made to last for decades. Even Chef quality knives and cookware can be extremely expensive, and that is a cost that will reduce your profits for many years. The same is true for manufacturing. Industrial grade machinery doesn’t come cheap. Make sure you know all the costs before you make any commitments.
  • Find the Right Team: Restaurants require full teams, servers, dishwashers, cooking staff and management. Not only do you need to have the right people for the job, but you need to be able to afford all those salaries.

There are more things to consider, but the items on this list are a good preview to see if your vision for the food industry is realistic. Careful planning, and good advice are the safest path to investing in a food business, You need to be able to operate for at least a year without turning a profit, and it is better if you have enough financial security to do it for two.

Categories
Eat

The Outdoor Gourmet Barbeque Kitchen

Dinner parties are great, especially for the talented foodies and those with kitchens fit for chefs. But not everybody enjoys the atmosphere. However, when you go to a barbeque, you will be hard pressed to find people who aren’t enjoying some aspect of the experience. And everyone likes eating food prepared outdoors. Barbeques are the inclusive food party that everyone can enjoy. If your desire is to throw the best parties. You might consider that instead of dropping 30k on a kitchen makeover, perhaps you can become a legend by building the ultimate barbeque kitchen and throwing the best outdoor events.

  • Build Your Stage: Now is your opportunity to build that deck you have been thinking about, because you are going to need a place for the magic to happen. In the centre of the deck shall be the outdoor kitchen. Build up against your house so you have wind protection. Install some stone or slate outdoor cladding tiles for heat protection and to establish this as the barbeque zone. Now consider how many people will be your max attendance. You should design for a flow through pattern, like a buffet for people to select their items and fix their plates, a long island with cabinets underneath to store your outdoor dishes and condiments.
  • Assemble Your Gear: What you want to design is a proper outdoor kitchen centred around an oversized gas grill. You don’t want to be going into the house for anything. So in addition to the grill you want to have a gas stove with multiple burners. You’ll need an oven for warming, a microwave, a double length sink, a prep counter, a commercial deep frier, a smoker, and a beverage fridge. Above it all you want to have some weather protection, either a permanent roof or a rollout awning. Also consider that your appliances should be built in, and they should be covered in some way when they are not in use.
  • Become a Connoisseur: Now if you are going to go to all that effort, you need to have a few signature dishes. Everyone can make a decent hamburger or grill a steak, but if you master the smoker and have a legendary chilli, you are going to get some BBQ cred. And if you really want to make a splash, start introducing actual gourmet recipes to your backyard parties. There is no shortage of recipes, and websites like this one can guide you to becoming a backyard master chef.

Outdoor kitchens are not new, in places like Southeast Asia the outdoor kitchen is standard. It is an excellent way to keep your home free from cooking smells and all the atomized pollutants that slowly stain everything in your house. Outdoor cooking just feels better, and most people insist it tastes better. But above all, outdoor cooking is superior for entertainment. It is only a certain crowd that likes a formal dinner party. Hosting next level outdoor barbeque parties, especially if the food is outrageously good, is going to establish you as the entertainment master of the neighbourhood.

Categories
Events & Festivals

Army Veterans Find Large Audience on TikTok Platform

Veterans have always occupied a place close to the hearts of most Americans. Even before the rise of massive contemporary platforms like Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok, videos featuring the troops showing off comedic songs, dances, and skits have often gone viral. In fact, troops fighting in the War on Terror often were the subject of popular obsessions in the United States. Men in the Army, clad in their Army sleepwear, have won the hearts of millions as they danced to popular songs. 

But the rise of platforms like TikTok have made it even easier for the average content creator to have their comedy skits and dances broadcast to millions. And while Generation Z continues to be the core demographic of TikTok’s social media application, an increasing number of former Army service members are using their military background to jumpstart exciting careers in comedy and acting on the site. Bella Poarch, the newest massive star to surface on TikTok, served in the U.S. Army, and fans say that her military background only heightens their interest in her lighthearted and well-choreographed small musical videos. 

Will Serra is another up-and-coming content creator utilizing TikTok to reach the newest generation of media consumers. Serra’s military background isn’t just a fun fact about the comedian. He cites it as one of the big contributing factors to his unique style and presence on the app. Serving in Afghanistan as an intelligence analyst for the Army, Serra disconnected almost entirely from social media for seven years. But during this time, his work interacting with people from varying world cultures helped him to cultivate a uniquely variable comedic style. 

This culturally diverse delivery style has certainly paid off for the former Army man. His videos, which are primarily skits and parodies, have gone viral in 10+ countries aside from the United States. In just six months, Serra’s account has grown from zero to over 108k followers. A wide age range characterizes his primary target demographic, which is likely another facet of his variable, fun, and open style of comedy. 

What is it that makes former service members so appealing to consumers of entertainment media? It’s hard to say for sure. To Serra, his military service prepared him to communicate comedy to an extremely versatile group of audiences—audiences that non-service members may never even encounter. How many other TikTok account holders can say that their videos have gone viral on more than three continents? 

As the global COVID-19 pandemic continues to rage, Serra hopes that his videos will bring some light into the lives of people going through dark times. It seems unlikely that audiences will lose interest in the rising TikTok star, whose work has been shared by celebrities like 50 Cent. With over 2.8 million likes, the world has once again affirmed that servicemembers are not just welcomed, but encouraged, in the world of comedy. 

From Afghanistan to TikTok, Will Serra’s journey to comedy has been unique. And if he has anything to say about it, the story is just getting started.