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Soda Club (aka Sodastream) in Conflict With Competitors

Monday, December 14th, 2009

In 2006, by claiming that Soda Club bottles were company property, not property of the customer (in accordance with standard customer contracts), Sodastream tried to stop a competing enterprise from refilling said bottles of carbon dioxide (CO2).

This effort failed in Germany, and now the same could happen in other markets as well.

This market niche does need competition, both for the sake of the environ­ment (bottles should be refilled in the store, a mere 20 second procedure); and for price, which could easily be cut in half. More info about refilling – and home refilling – of carbon dioxide bottles for home sodamakers here.

Consider that sparkling water made at home already costs a fraction of store-purchased carbonated beverages; however, things could be a lot better.

Here are the facts from bundeskartellamt in Germany:

http://www.bundeskartellamt.de/wEnglisch/News/Archiv/ArchivNews2006/2006_04_13.php

 

April 13, 2006

Düsseldorf Higher Regional Court confirms immediate enforceability in the Soda-Club case

Soda-Club GmbH, Wiesbaden (“Soda-Club“) may not use its dominant position abusively. Soda-Club had prevented competing suppliers from refilling CO2 cartridges for water carbonating machines by claiming its ownership of the cartridges.

In February 2006 the Bundeskartellamt prohibited this conduct. Soda Club opposed the Bundeskartellamt’s immediately enforceable decision by applying to the Düsseldorf Higher Regional Court for interim measures. In provisional proceedings the court has now confirmed the Bundeskartellamt’s decision in all material respects. Soda-Club is dominant in the market for refilling CO2 cartridges. Hindering competitors from refilling CO2 cartridges represents an abuse of this dominant position. By this conduct Soda-Club prevents consumers from taking advantage of alternative refilling possibilities. Only the obligation to point out on labels on the company’s own cartridges that it is admissible to have them refilled by competitors was seen by the Higher Regional Court as a disproportionate measure.

Although Soda-Club can still appeal against the Higher Regional Court’s decision to the Federal Supreme Court, the Higher Regional Court’s decision implies that the numerous small and medium-sized bottling plants can now start to compete with Soda-Club and refill all cartridges circulating in the market.

Tags: soda club, soda club case, sodastream, sodastream case, sparkling water
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How Long Does It Take To Cook A Steak In The Oven At Home?

Tuesday, November 3rd, 2009

So you have asked the infamous question How long does it take to cook a steak in the oven? Well let’s seen if we can help.

If you’re going to cook your steak in the oven then I would seriously suggest that you broil it. I love broiled meat it’s so juicy and tender. Only if you don’t over cook it so be careful. To me there really is no other way. Broiled steak is delicious.

Set and pre heat your oven to the broil setting and while you are waiting for your oven to preheat rub your steaks with olive oil, salt and fresh ground pepper. Depending upon the cut of meat you have purchased if it is a less expensive cut of meat you may want to consider using a different seasoning other than salt such as an Adolph’s meat tenderizer. It tends to darken the meat some but it does give it the same flavor as salt. If you have a good cut of beef then a nice kosher salt will do just fine.

Different size steaks will require different broiling times. Depending upon whether you like your steak raw, medium or well done also plays a role in the cooking process. Whether or not you are cooking one steak or many may also make a difference when broiling your steaks in the oven. Keep in mind that your cooking times may slightly vary due to this.

The following are recommended cooking times but keep in mind the different variables that may affect cooking times. If your steak is 3/4 of an inch inch thick and you want your steak medium rare then I would suggest 4-5 minutes per side and if you have a meat thermometer the meat should reach 145 degrees. For a Medium steak 6-7 minutes per side and the meat should reach a temperature of 160 degrees. To simplify matters the best way to determine when your meat is ready is by using a simple meat thermometer. Most people don’t have a meat thermometer and tend to cut their steak open to see if it is done. This however is not recommended as it tends to let all of the meats juices spill out. Taylor Digital Instant-Read Pocket Thermometer

After the steak is done let it stand for 5 minutes this lets the juices flow through your meat from the top down to the bottom making it juicy and flavorful. Serve with a baked potato and vegetables or your favorite sides. Steaks go great with just about anything depending upon what you have in your kitchen. Steaks and fries are also a good combo. How about a nice Bloomin Onion to go with your steak. Have Fun!

If you’re like me and you have had the in cling at times to prepare a dish exactly like your favorite dish from your favorite restaurant. Well now you can. Top Secret Restaurant Recipes to find out how.

Iif you would like the opportunity to receive free online recipe software over 4000 recipes and access to an online cooking forum packed with cooking and recipe information. Click Here on this link How long does it take to cook a steak in the oven  

Note: Any link or url in this article may be an affiliate link or web address that earns me an income if you take an action or purchase a product as a result of that link or url.

Tags: digital meat thermometer, How long does it take to cook a steak in the oven, top secret restaurant recipes
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Method Of The Best Ice Tea

Tuesday, November 3rd, 2009

How to Make the Best Ice Tea-prepare your own cup of fantasy

Iced Tea is a fantastic drink for all seasons. It is kinda simple to prepare best iced tea at home which can be tasteful even far better than restaurant prepared iced drink. Given below are simple directions to prepare one’s own delightful best iced tea.

Wondering how To make the best ice tea-here we show you the way..

In a microwaveable good glass bowl heat 4 Quarts of filtered water. Glass bowl stops the container from leaking out any other flavor into the fluid other than tea bags. Bring the fluid to a casting boil.
Move out bowl from microwave and keep on stove or heating pad. Absorb 4 drink bags of Lipton, or anyone’s best-loved flavored. Allow the bags to be in liquid for 5 – 10 minutes, depending on the desirable flavor effectiveness. You can find the lengthier one place the bags in the liquid, the better flavored one will have.
Fill up any one is going to keep the iced drink in with 2 quarts of cool strained water. Move out the bags from the glass bowl, and dump the drink into the cold water. Mix smartly. This will give in 6 quarts of iced drink.
Finally, if one would like sweet drink, pour 1/2 to 1 cup of sugar into the tea and mix good.
Place substances in fridge and let chill for 1 hour before consuming.

Sample Ice Drink suitable for a try

To cook Cranberry Orange best iced tea first boil the water, and then include sugar to it. Mix till the sugar melts fully. After that include the bags to the water. After this stop heating and let the substance absorb for 4 to 5 minutes. Keep the bags away to add cranberry juice concentrate to the mixture. Keep mixing until it dissolves and combines, and then allow it to chill to room temperate ahead cooling it. Suffice over ice.

To cook Apple and honey best iced tea, one would have to absorb the drink bags in the hot water for almost five minutes. After that, filter out the tea bags. Pour out the honey and the juice into the filtered drink and mix. Keep mixing until the honey is blended fully with the drink. Then cool and suffice over ice

First make the ginger by slice it into small pieces. Grind the pieces to form a paste. Warm one quart water. Let the tea absorb with ginger. Let it absorb over low flame for about at least ten minutes. After this done sieve out the ginger slices and the tea. One can then include sugar to taste. Let it chill and then suffice over ice.

Tags: desirable flavor, Preparation of tea
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Join a Fruit-of-the-month-club

Monday, October 26th, 2009

It doesn’t matter what the occasion is, whether the fruit of the month club is for yourself or someone else, it can be the perfect gift. One of the best benefits in joining a fruit of the month club is that you get the freshest fruit when its time to harvest. This means that you are not getting fruit that’s been kept in storage for long periods then shipped to a store. In a store how many people handle the fruit before you decide to buy it. You arrive home with what you think is going to be a great tasting piece of fruit because it looks good. One bite and you are soon disappointed because the flavor just isn’t there. When you go shopping at your local supermarkets you find that they have apples all year long. Are apples ready to harvest year round? Only the best fruit is to be selected for fruit of the month. Each and every month you receive a different fruit to enjoy.

A fruit of the month club membership makes a wonderful gift. Think of the vegetarians on your list of people to purchase gifts for. You don’t know about clothes or other items that they would want to receive. Fruit will make a great gift. Ther are companies that give fruit of the month club memberships to important people as a gift. It makes a great marketing tool because the recipients are reminded of your company year round. Fruit baskets have been given as gifts for many years.

There are many different fruit month club clubs. Some offer exotic fruits only, while others may offer fruits that you are most familiar with. There’s a fruit club that offers tips and recipes for different types of fruit. They may also have other gifts such as a single basket of fruit that can be sent to whomever you wish. Don’t forget those items that most fruit of the month clubs have such as jams, jellies, dried fruit and other goodies. There are fruit of the month clubs at different prices and different membership lengths. Memberships do not have to be for a full year with some of the clubs that are available. There are clubs that offer three month, six month or twelve month programs.

 

 

Tags: food, fruit baskets, fruit club, fruit gifts, fruit of the month club
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Tips in buying cooking materials

Sunday, October 25th, 2009

Cooking is already hard as it is without having to deal with defective cooking materials and equipment. Besides, not only will you slow down the cooking process when you buy substandard materials, you will also put your family and your house at risk of fire and other injuries that defective appliances and cooking materials may cause.

Good cooking equipment need not be expensive. Just as the ingredients that you use for your meals, cooking materials should not be the top of the line. You can make do with the cheaper versions as long as you make sure that the quality is good and it is new. Shopping techniques  are there to buy the kitchen equipments.

Buy new ones. Yes. You can support thrift shops but you can support them in other ways without having to sacrifice the health of your family and also their safety. Cooking equipment from thrift shops are often from homes that have been either sold because the owner died or have been donated because they have served their purpose well in the household. In other
words, they are worn, dirty and old. Would you want to prepare meals for your family using those kinds of cooking materials?

Go for Sales. If you want cheap prices and yet have new stuff to use, watch out for mega sales and discount sales on the items that you want. They often cut their price down when they have new models that are coming out or have a lot of stocks that they have to get rid of. To avail great discounts you can go for factory outlets. You just have to have the
Always have the patience to select the product that you need.

Use an alternative If a cooking material is outside your budget and you just cannot afford to buy a new one, you can always use an alternative. You can mix with spoon if you don’t have mixer grinder! Measurements need not be done with measuring
spoons and cups. If you are in pantry you have to use cups,spoons and teaspoons to eat the food. Be imaginative.

Test it. One common mistake of people is to not test an item before buying it because they feel that they can return it anyway if it does not work. But because of their busy schedules, most people will not bother to go there and return the item. The money they paid for the item is actually the same as the gas money that they will spend if they go to the store. So if
you do not want the hassle anymore, try it out first. A very less time ii takes.

Metal are better Hands down, if you have the money to spend, go for equipment that are stainless steel. They are rust proof and are easier to clean compared to plastic materials. They are also safer because they are not easily breakable unlike glass which may be dangerous to kids. One disadvantage though of stainless steel is the fact that they are not easily handled because metal can be hot on the surface. Other than that, metals are great materials to cook your food in.

So before you buy your cooking materials, remember these tips to make sure that you get the best bargain that you can have.

Tags: Cooking Equipment
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Absinthe, the legendary green fairy

Sunday, October 25th, 2009

Absinthe Green Fairy or La Fee Verte

Green Fairy or La Fee Verte Absinthe is equally popular is an alcoholic drink with an interesting history. A very famous and at the same time very controversial drink in todays time it was initially developed in the 18th century as a mere tonic.

The strength of Absinthe, an anise flavored spirit can be guaged by the alcohol content which is 45 to 75% by volume. It is called the “Green Fairy” in English and “La Fee Verte” in French due to its emerald green tinge. A distilled liquor, it is made from herbs. Wormwood, fennel and green aniseed are the herbs that matter the most. The famous Pernod Absinthe recipe was first produced by Henri-Louis Pernod using herbs such as hyssop, lemon balm, veronica, juniper, nutmeg, dittany, and star anise, he also was the first person to commercially distill Absinthe. Wormwood, nutmeg and herbs like calamus, used by some manufacturers, were thought to be psychoactive. The louche effect or clouding of Absinthe when water is poured over the sugar can be attributed to the essential oils in the herbs. The oils are not water soluble and so cause the Absinthe to cloud or louche.

The Green Fairy Absinthe

The Green Fairy Absinthe and the Artistic Community

Absinthe famously inspired writers and artists who were associated with the Bohemian culture of the old Montmartre area in Paris. Some famous Absinthe drinkers were Pablo Picasso, Paul Gauguin, Edgar Degas,Charles Baudelaire, Ernest Hemingway,Vincent Van Gough and Oscar Wilde. So convinced were many writers and artists that their genius and inspiration came from Absinthe. Painters like Picasso and Van Gogh were so enamoured by absinthe that they featured Absinthe Drinkers and Absinthe in some of their paintings.

Prohibition campaigners were looking for an excuse and they found it in Absinthe’s association with the Moulin Rouge, old Montmartre, and Bohemian sect. Absinthe got linked to alcohol addiction, family problems, and murders due to the sustained efforts of prohibition campaigners and this finally resulted in it being made illegal and banned in France in the year 1915. The only countries where it was still legal were Spain, Portugal, the Czech Republic and the UK others banned it.

Thujone was blamed for the psychedelic effects of drinking the Green Fairy, it is a chemical present in wormwood. It was the prevaling belief that Thujone in all likelyhood was identical to THC in cannabis. The main ingredients of Absinthe are alcohol and ethanol, thujone is present in minute quantity. Research has proved it conclusively that the high alcohol content is more dangerous than the thujone content in Absinthe, in fact Absinthe is as safe as any other drink with high level of alcohol. The subject has had many articles written on it. Vodka and whisky are no comparison to Absinthe, it is twice as strong as both and so drink in moderation for pleasure.

Vintage Absinthe posters adorned the walls of Absinthe bars and Absinthe served in large classic absinthe glasses were favored by many people during the time of prohibition. By 2008, many countries legalised Absinthe however, in the EU the thujone levels are controlled and the US only allows absinthe with trace amounts of thujone.

You can buy Absinthe online by the bottle or order Absinthe essences (visit the website AbsintheKit.com) to make your own Absinthe Green Fairy to bottle at home. Real Absinthe and Absinthe essences contain the vital ingredient wormwood but some new Absinthes, produced for the US market, do not contain thujone.

The Green Fairy Absinthe a truly decandent drink can be prepared with this delicious spirit by mixing it with champagne! Just for your Knowledge Asinthe kit is the best way to get economical Absinthe.

Tags: Absinthe green fairy
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Chocolate Easter Eggs:Ideas For Homemade Recipes

Sunday, October 25th, 2009

Sure you could just run out to the store and get your plastic Easter eggs and chocolate Easter eggs, but if you really want to put your all into the Easter holiday and do it yourself, then it is really going to mean a lot. The chocolate Easter eggs are especially popular and there are a few recipes that are absolutely delicious.

If you want to try making your own chocolate Easter eggs for once, here is a great, easy recipe that you can make.

The Recipe For Chocolate Easter Eggs

For this chocolate Easter eggs recipe you will need ¼ lb. butter softened, 8 oz. cream cheese softened, 2 lb. confectioners’ sugar, 1 ½ cups peanut butter, 1 ½ tsp vanilla, ½ tsp salt, and 12 oz. milk chocolate candy melts.

Now to prepare this recipe, you want to start by mixing the butter and the cream cheese together. Then you add the confectioners’ sugar and mix well. You want to keep mixing until you can no longer see any powder residue.

Add peanut butter, vanilla and salt in the recipe before mixing this. Then keep this mixture into the refrigerator for one to two hours. Then when the dough is hard enough you want to form it into egg shapes, and then refrigerate these for an hour.

You must make sure that you are refrigerating long enough each time, otherwise the oil from the peanut butter is going to make the dough too mushy and you will not be able to form it properly.

Now to finish off the chocolate Easter eggs you want to melt the chocolate that you have ready in a double broiler, dip each peanut butter egg in the chocolate, and then let them sit to dry on waxed paper. You are really going to love these eggs, and your kids are going to love them even more.

They are very easy to make and the best part is that you can save the extras and keep them for later on in the week. These recipes can be made at home for your kids for Easter which they will like very much. Just remember there are lots of varieties that you can try out as well if you are not a fan of the peanut butter and chocolate, for instance you could make them with caramel.

Tags: chocolate easter eggs, chocolate Easter eggs recipe, Easter holiday, plastic easter eggs
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The Chemical Your Body Can’t Live Without

Wednesday, October 7th, 2009

Twenty per cent of our atmosphere is oxygen. When this gas is united chemically with hydrogen gas, the result is water, our body’s most important nutrient.

Did you know that 70%-80% of your body weight is water? It helps to keep the blood a liquid, metabolize fat, maintain body temperature, wash out toxins from the body, transport nutrients, lubricate and cushion organs, and a host of other benefits.

Everyone needs a minimum of 64 ounces of water per day, and more if you are physically active. Dehydration is the result of not ingesting enough water. When this happens, the body takes water from other places, like the blood.

This causes the closing of some capillaries, making your blood thicker, more susceptible to clotting, and harder to pump through your system. This can have serious implications in hypertension, high cholesterol, and heart disease. Recent studies have also linked the lack of water to headaches, arthritis, and heartburn.

Some have guessed that up to 75% of Americans suffer from dehydration. At times the body seems to be asking for food when really it is needing water. A drink can also satisfy the stomach’s cravings and thus help to keep proper body weight.

We get water from the fluids we drink, from the food we eat, and from metabolism. Soda, tea, or coffee are pour substitutes for pure water. In fact, these can actually increase the need for water because the caffeine in them is diuretic. This means it actually forces from the cells the water they contain as well as some essential nutrients.

Dehydration is a dangerous problem. Just a 2% drop in body weight caused by a lack of water affects the mind. A 5% drop can affect physical performance as much as 20% to 30%. A 10% drop will be evidenced in actual sickness and a 20% drop will bring death. With water being so important to our health, most people realize the importance of being sure their drinking water is pure.

While a lack of water is often the cause of some ailments, drinking water is likewise also the cure. Problems such as ulcers, stress, headaches, high blood pressure, kidney problems, and problems related to cholesterol are often alleviated by drinking pure water. Just 64 ounces a day of the free liquid have decreased the risk of breast cancer by 79%, bladder cancer by 50%, and colon cancer by 45%.

Perhaps your body is craving water right now and you don’t even know it. So go get a glass. But be sure it is pure first. Water taken from the tap will probably have impurities. So might even bottled water. Best is the water you purify yourself through a charcoal filter like the Royal Berkey. You can trust it to help you maintain good health.

If you’re interested in not only the health but savings benefits you can receive from purifying your own water, check out the Berkey Water Filters – the most powerful and economical personal water purification systems available.

Tags: filtered water, gravity water filter, water filter, water filter system
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Making Your Own Cup Of Ice Tea

Wednesday, September 30th, 2009

Simply Making Your Own Cup Of Ice Tea

The world is filled to the brim literally now days with such a large variety of  ice tea flavour that you can think of, that you can buy from the stores. You can quench your thirst by taking iced tea and make yourself cool in hot days. The nice thing about having an ice tea is that you can make your own brew if you suffer from ailments and this “tonic” will therefore not only quench your thirst and cool you, but also heal at the same time. Impressive a multitasking ice tea! Now how could we have missed that one? Many people also give their small children ice tea in summer to drink instead of sweetened juices and cool drinks that have little or no nutritional value in it and which may also damage their teeth from too much sugar content.

Making Your Own Flavoured Ice Tea Tonics

To make your own ice tea is not so difficult, simply chose your favourite flavour of tea and make a large amount, before it is cool add some sugar if you wish, and put into drinking bottles and pop them into the fridge to keep cool. If you are on a diet you may add a dash of lemon to help burn those kilojoules a bit faster during the day, or to help detoxify your system. Excessive amounts of tonic ice tea could have critical effect on your body. It is recommended that at least one half litre bottle to a litre of tonic ice tea should be consumed in one day.

Novelty Dust Collecting Item For Having Iced Tea With A Difference

If you do have an ice tea makerhow much simpler could you life be. Actually your spouse or child will make your tea for you instead of preparing it by yourself? The need this piece of machinery seems to be very useless, even if you are making copious amounts of chilled tea. It seems this is just another gimmick to line someone else’s pocket while you have another ornament on your kitchen counter collecting dust.
Since tea has hit the fridges in the shops the varieties to choose from are enormous, which are fruity and herbal flavours. These teas are supposed to be healthier than other thirst quenchers and are not always cheaper than buying the normal cool drinks available.

Tags: herbal flavours, Iced tea
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A Gift Of TeaSet

Monday, September 28th, 2009

A Tea Gift Set Is Not Just A White Elephant

When people look around for gifts these days the possibilities are endless. Sometimes this over abundance of choice can make the decision of what to get as the perfect gift a total nightmare. The last thing you need is to be labelled a cheesy gift-giver whose gifts sit on the shelves gathering dust, or even worse get banished to the attic. This is where a tea gift set can step in to save the day.

A Glorious Gift At A Second Glance-Tea Gift Set

Not many people think of a tea gift set as a practical gift. Most people cannot stop rushing through their busy lives to see the true beauty of a tea gift set. AS these tea sets come in various designs so you can get many different themes. A tea gift set can range from an assortment of finely blended teas to a full tea service set accompanied by complimenting teas.

A very personal tea gift set is one which combines a few finely blended teas with a single size teapot and teacup. Often the teapot and teacup are decorated in the same way and the pot fits on top of the cup. This kind of tea gift set lets the receiver know that you had nobody else in mind when you though of the gift and picked it out for them. A tea gift set is a pampering gift, allowing the receiver to treat themselves to a relaxing cup of top quality tea while taking a few moments to unwind.

These gifts are not only a way of spoiling someone but are also great for health fanatics.  There is no weight to be gained and tea contains much less caffeine than coffee. A tea gift set can also fit in with tradition, personalising it even more. You can pick out the perfect tea time gift in the form of iced tea. This is a great traditionally themed gift for someone either living in or who comes from the southern states of America.

You can spoil a southern friend to some chilled tea blendsor a service set to hold a get together and tea parties. This tea is also a fantastic way to treat a friend or family member to some tasty chilling on a hot summer’s day. A tea gift set is the perfect gift for a tea lover, a health fanatic or a lovely lady who could do with a few pampered moments of “me time”. You can find these presents in many themes and flavour none of which are intended to let you down and are perfect for any occasion.

Tags: Tea gifts, teapot and teacup
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