Daily Archives: January 10, 2008

Treat yourself to a break at Blueberry Lake

Ok, while we are still talking about new years resolutions I am wondering if these are amongst yours:

- spend more time with the family

- take more time out to ‘smell the roses’

- travel more

- get fit and active and out from behind that desk…or the kitchen sink.

- be kinder to yourself in general

If these are amongst your resolutions for 2008 then I suggest you take a good look at one of Canada’s treasures…Blueberry Lake Resort in the stunning Mont Tremblant region. If you are already one step ahead of me and looking for Mont Tremblant hotels for your stay in this Canadian paradise then go no further than considering Blueberry Lake Resort. Here you will find everything that follows the standard set for the total ‘spa’ experience. And you don’t have to travel to the Black Forest or the Swiss Alps to find it.

Relax; alone, as part of a group, or with your family in total natural surroundings. Enjoy a therapeutic massage, ride a bike, walk/hike…whatever you feel you need to do to get back in-tune with yourself. Whatever the time of year, whatever the season, Blueberry Lake offers everyone the complete relaxation experience…back to nature without leaving the luxury and comfort behind.

What more could you wish for?

Copyright © 2007-2012 Cultured Views. All rights reserved.

Umami the Fifth Taste – what is it?

It has always been the popular notion that we humans have four basic ‘tastes’ – sweet, sour, salty and bitter. But in the last ten years a silent ‘trend’ has gradually gathered pace and now it is becoming common knowledge that we have one more, a fifth ‘taste’ and this fifth taste is called Umami. Never heard of it? well read on…

When you look at those four tastes there seems to be one missing…it’s not salty, not bitter, definitely not sweet and not sour at all…it’s, well, savoury! Ever tried a piece of parmesan cheese? well compare that to a chunk of mild cheddar, notice the difference? That is Umami.  More examples of umami would be red wine, mushrooms and even truffles (those from the ground, not the chocolate shop).

Without even realising it people have been using their ‘fifth taste’ forever. So what is the difference between taste and flavor? Well, try this quick test with a flavored jelly bean. Put one in your mouth and chew it while holding your nose. You may taste a sweet sensation, but that’s it. Then, release your nose. When you do, the fullness of the jelly bean flavor will come rushing through, whether it be bubble-gum or lemon drop. This is because our olfactory senses are necessary for completing many of the flavors we experience. That’s not the case with the basic tastes, which are detected solely by the tongue.

The name umami was coined in Japan a century ago, when the taste (found in Eastern staples like seaweed) was first identified as unique.

Umami  is the feeling of gratification we get when we eat something; this is why so many people prefer a burger to an apple, or a steak to a piece of fish.  While umami is not a ‘fat’ it is the ingredient that makes the difference between a real yoghurt and a fat-free one. A gravy without stock is thin and watery…it has no umami.

So there it is. Go get your umami and taste the difference.

Copyright © 2007-2012 Cultured Views. All rights reserved.

John Titor – where IS he?

Further to my recent post on the mysterious ‘John Titor’ I wonder just who this individual was and where he is now. I mean, he certainly sparked intense interest and even more intense debate during the ime he spent online. Whilst he was online he originally used the name TimeTravel_0 before using the name John Titor.

The interesting aspect about the claims he made is that they really are not all that outlandish when you read his posts. He talks about a world in the future where people work together as a community; about a world war in 2015 (take a look at current events guys) and how things like processed foods are a thing of the past.

Not very exciting, and all totally possible. He speaks with knowledge about the science behind time travel – about gravity and particles….stuff too hi tech for me to recount here, and when asked to prove himself by explaining how the time machine works he says he is unable to. I mean, I drive a car but could not explain how an internal combustion engine works all the same.

Some of what he said does test the limits of probability, but then again many of his claims make good sense and could very well ring true. I am undecided either way – if this guy was not from the year 2036, then maybe he well should be!

Copyright © 2007-2012 Cultured Views. All rights reserved.