Posts tagged: gray

The Gentle Giant Irish Wolfhound

The man’s best friend, the dogs are very capable of giving us some great time as they can provide you tender loving care anytime of the day. And one of the dogs that are so gentle and loving are the mild Goliath in the world of dogs which are the Irish wolfhounds.

There were wolves in Ireland about two centuries ago and the Irish wolfhounds were renowned for being a very skilled hunter of wolves as well as the other large game animals. Unfortunately there are no wolves to date in Ireland and according to a story the last wolf here was hunted and killed around 200 years back.

According to historians, the wolfhounds are already present in Ireland by 500 B.C. E. The wolfhounds were employed by the Celts aside from their hunting skills. In the olden times and according to legends the wolfhounds accompanied the Irish kings and combatants during skirmishes.

The wolfhound holds the distinction of being an exceptional breed of dog all over the world. According to an account the wolfhound once fascinated the Rome even as Roman consul Symmachus quoted, “All Rome viewed them (the wolfhounds) with wonder…” and added “and fancied they must have been brought hither in iron cages.

The usual height of male is a whopping 34 inches to the shoulder and some even exceeded this length. The record was near the vicinity of 40 inches. Just imagine the size of these wonderful dogs if there 12 inches in one foot. The females on the other hand are typically two inches smaller or taller than their male counterparts. From the tip of the nose to the tail the wolfhound can easily reach 6 feet.

Although the wolfhounds are the colossal in the doggy world, they have a humble beginning at birth since a young puppy wolfhound just weight around 1.5 lbs.

More of a stalking type, a wolfhound usually don’t bark that much. But once they woof they can leave you an unforgettable sound, which is intense and forlorn.

Coming in gray, white, wheaten, red or black, the wolfhounds although might look vicious are actually very amiable as they can even have a good time with a kid.

But why the wolfhounds almost became extinct? One of the reasons was their being famous. Since they can easily make as a very special gift the wolfhounds were given to people which holds great status in society just like the royalties all over the world. But still, amid great odds, the wolfhounds pulled through thanks to the valiant efforts of people led by George A. Graham. Taking notice of the sad scenario of these gentle mammoths, Graham collected wolfhounds as many as he could then breed them in a foundation which preserved these dogs until today. This is indeed a very heartwarming endeavor and without Graham these poor dogs could’ve been wiped out from the face of the earth.

The wolfhounds which were threatened to extinction are still around to provide joy and delight to all people that own and love them.

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categories Pets | | datetime June 23, 2011 3:01 am | comments Comments (0)

The Appetizing and Gastronomic Caviar

Perhaps one of the most revered and much sought after delicacy in the world, the caviar found it’s niche in the gourmet tables of expensive restaurants and hotels worldwide. Caviar are the eggs or roes of a certain type of fish which is the sturgeon fish, that is found off the waters of the Caspian Sea, that is shared by three countries such as Russia, Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan. The Caspian Sea is the world’s largest inland body of water.

There are three different species of sturgeon: Beluga, Osetra and Sevruga, that bears these precious caviar, which comes in different colors like black, gray, green, or brown, comes in small grain or pea size.

The largest of three sturgeon species is the Beluga, which is touted to produce the supreme caviar, this sturgeon variety can grow to as long as 28 feet and can achieve a weight to about a whopping 1,260 kgs. Ostera, on the other hand, may weight up to 100 kgs.  and its egg’s color may vary from dark brown to golden yellow. Sevruga the smallest of the three sturgeon species, weights to about 30 kgs. and its eggs are usually dark gray.

There are also some fishes that produce excellent caviar minus the big cost and these include: North Atlantic Salmon, whitefish, lake herring, cod and carp.

The experts rate caviar by the it’s sheer size and color while they are place in a large bowls.

The best tasting caviar is dubbed as a Malossol (little salt), while Valossol is coined to describe the process of salting the caviar. This process gives enormous flavor to the eggs as it locks the freshness and preserves the caviar to last up to 3 months.

Served with no fancy adornment, the roes are usually eaten with bland crackers or with a toast. Some would also love to savor the delectable taste of the caviar by means of having the caviar garnished with onions, sour cream, egg whites and egg yolks.

Metal spoon may change the flavor or the roes and even perforate it, and instead it is advisable to use the mother-of-pearl bowl with mother-of-pearl spoon or a tortoise shell spoon to serve the caviar.

However, if you don’t have these expensive sets, you may opt to use a small glass placed in a bigger bowl with crushed ice for the rejuvenating taste.

Caviar is reputed to have a short shelf life, and once the can is opened, the caviar should be eaten right away to savor its deluxe taste. An unopened caviar when stored properly may lasts up to a couple of weeks. It should be stored at the fridge at about 29 degree Fahrenheit, and is turned every day so that the oil reaches the eggs constantly. If in case you have leftovers, wrapped it in a plastic and store it right away in the fridge.

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categories Cooking, Lifetyle | | datetime March 25, 2010 11:38 am | comments Comments Off

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