Northern pike (Esox Lucius) also known as Pike, American pike, Great northern pike, Common pike, Great Lakes pike, Snot rocket, Grass pike, snake, Slough shark and Slough snake, is a long and slender fish of the family Esocidae. It is inherent to North America and Eurasia. They are also available in Labrador west, Alaska, Nebraska Pennsylvannia and Missouri. It is a carnivorous fish whose prey is frogs, waterfowl, crayfish, minnows, muskrats, mice and ducklings. They are usually found in brackish and fresh waters. The world record of Northern pike measures about 25 kg or 55 lb. was caught in Lake…

Sebastes alutus (Ocean Perch), belonging to genus Sebastes and family Sebastidae, has other common names such as Pacific rockfish, Red bream, Rose fish, Red perch, Pacific ocean perch and Rock Cod. It is widely found in North Pacific from Southern California (Pacific Rim, Northern Honshū, Japan and Bering Sea). It is plenty in Northern British Columbia, Aleutian Islands and Gulf of Alaska. Pacific Ocean Perch has compressed body and head which measures about 53 cm (21.2 inches) long. It usually weighs about 4.5 lb. (2.05 kg). The body is deep red with brown, olive green or black patches in body.…

Monkfish, Lophius piscatorius, is usually found in the coasts of Europe. Other common names for Lophius piscatorius are Monkfish, frog-fish, fishing-frogs, sea-devils, goosefish, angler-fish and headfish. Monkfish has large, flat, broad and depressed head with wide mouth and pointed teeth which are prone inwards. It has the lifespan of 24 years. It has tapering body and grows upto 200 cm long. The color of body is mottled brown with glossy skin, white belly and scaleless. The meaty flesh is lean and bright white. The cooked monkfish has sweet flavor and mild taste. It uses the modified fin ray to attract…

The Atlantic herring, Clupea harengus, is the herring fish belonging to the family Clupeidae associated with Atlantic Ocean ranging from Gulf of Maine, the Bay of Fundy, the Gulf of St Lawrence, the Labrador Sea, the Beaufort Sea, the Davis Straits, the Norwegian Sea, the Denmark Straits, the English Channel, the North Sea, the Irish Sea, the Celtic Sea, Sea of the Hebrides and the Bay of Biscay. It has large number of prey as well as predators. Orca, dolphins, cod, porpoises, rockfish, sharks, whales, seabird, squid, seals, sea lions, tuna, fishermen and salmon are its predators. Other common names…

The Pacific halibut (Hippoglossus stenolepis) is the flatfish which belongs to the family Pleuronectidae. They are flattened fish which swim sideways. The upside has gray to brown color with underside white. The halibut are right eyed which is located on the upper and dark side of body. The body is elongated or diamond shaped. The small scales are buried in skin which makes the skin look smooth. It has symmetrical and broad tail. The maximum size of Pacific halibut that has been reported weighs 500 pounds and 8 feet long. Its diet is cod, pollock, turbot, octopus, shrimp, crab, eel,…

Haddock fish (Melanogrammus aeglefinus) also known as seed haddock, offshore hake and Finnan haddock is the salt water fish belonging to the Gadidae family. They are mostly found in North Atlantic Ocean on the depth of 40-33 m (131-436 ft). It also survives in the temperature between 36 to 50 °F (2-10°C). Young haddock lives in shallow water. It range from 38-69 cm long and weighs about 0.9-1.8 kg. The body color is dark gray with silvery belly and white flesh. They are carnivore and feed on mollusks, sea urchins, sea stars, fish eggs, worms, shellfish and crabs. Spiny dogfish,…

Anguilla rostrata is an eel species belonging to the family Anguillidae having body like snake with a mucous layer. It is mostly found on Eastern Coast of North America. It could reach 1.22 m (4.0 ft) long and measures upto 7.5 kg or 17 lb. The body is elongated, slender with small and pointed head. The teeth are small, setiform or pectinate. The body is olive green, greenish to yellow, brown with small, cycloid and rudimentary scales. It has got thick and slimy skin and light gray or white belly. It feeds on aquatic insects, crustaceans and small insects. They…

Cod fish belongs to the family Gadidae and genus Gadus. Cod fish shares the same family of monkfish and haddock. It is omnivorous and feeds on sand eels, haddock, whiting, squid, small cod, crabs, mussels, lobsters, mackerel, worms and molluscs. It is usually 51 inches long and roughly cylindrical in shape. The body’s color is greenish to brown with white belly and dense, flaky flesh. It possesses a mild flavor when it is cooked. It could weigh upto 55 to 77 pounds. Atlantic cod and Pacific cod are the two common species of Cod. Atlantic cod is found in cold…

Kimchi also called kimchee, gimchi, is a popular Korean food that is prepared with the fermentation of radish or cabbage. Brine, spices, scallions, ginger, garlic and chopped radish are the ingredients added to Kimchi. It plays a vital role in the Korean culture. More than 200 varieties of Kimchi are made which differs in taste due to the preparation method. According to the ingredients used, the nutritional value also differs but is low in calories. Traditionally, Kimchi was placed in jars underground to unfrozen or keep cool during winter. Kimchi varies according to the season. History It was believed to…

Sushi is prepared with cooked vinegared rice and ingredients such as meat, seafood and vegetables. It was originated in Japan. Rice is the common ingredient in Sushi which is also known as sumeshi or shari. It could be prepared with white rice or brown rice. It is mostly served with wasabi, soy sauce or pickled ginger. Toppings, fillings, way of preparation and condiments used in Sushi may differ. It has been a staple food in Japan for about 700 years. It is able to lower LDL cholesterol, blood pressure, enhance metabolism, balance hormones, prevent cancers, promotes circulation, gastrointestinal health, strengthen…

Carp (Cyprinus carpio) is the fish species which belongs to the family Cyprinidae and native to Asia and Eastern Europe. It is the species of genus Cyprinus. Cyprinus carpio have elongated and compressed body of average size 40-80 cm (15.75-31.5 inches). It has thick lips and large scales. Body color is bronze, yellow or brassy with a yellowish to white belly. As it is omnivorous, its diet is algae, insects, water vegetation, crustaceans, worms, small fish and zooplankton. They weighs about 30 kg. The adult female lays about 300000 of eggs which hatch after four to eight days. It deposits…

Centropristis striata also called Black sea bass, humpback (larger males), black bass, rock bass, pinbass sea bass is a protogynous hermaphrodite fish of the Serranidae family found mostly in Northern ranges. It resides coasts of Maine to Northeast Florida and Easter Gulf of Mexico. The body is blue to black, smoky gray and dusky brown in color with white flesh. The tail is straight edged or rounded. Black sea bass is believed to live upto 20 years. This fish is oblong, compressed, stout and measures upto 12 inches long. This bass measures upto 1 pound. The eggs of Black sea…

Caridea which is also known as Caridean shrimp, belongs to the phylum Arthropoda and order Decapoda. It lives in both salt and fresh water. Mostly the carideans are omnivorous. The body of the shrimp is divided into three categories such as head, thorax and abdomen (tail). Shrimp have short legs and two pair of claws. It is small in size. Some of the shrimp are hermaphrodites and have separate sexes. They are able to change the sex from male to female. About 2800 species of shrimp are found in world. The shell of shrimp is hard that is colorless or…

Bagel is the bread product which is firstly boiled and then baked. It has the interior doughy, chewy and dense with crisp and brown exterior. The seeds such as sesame seeds or sunflower seeds are used to top the bagels. The dough could be made from rye or whole grain. It could be prepared at home. It is shaped in the form of ring with hand. It could be found frozen or fresh. The hole in the middle of the bagel. It was originated in Poland. It was originated from in early 1600s in Krakow, Poland which is widely known…

Blueberry muffins are the muffins which are made by using baking powder, flour, frozen blueberries, butter, egg, salt as sell as seasonings. Various toppings, ways, size and sweetness could be used. In 18th century, the recipe of blueberry muffin was introduced to England. It was sold as a tea time snack in the London streets by the muffin men. Minnesota which is the state of USA declared the blueberry muffin as official muffin of state. Nutritional value One serving of 43 grams of blueberry provides 12.98 g of moisture, 126 calories, 1.5 g of protein, 1.4 g of total fat,…

Lobster is the lobster species that belongs to the family Nephropidae. It is usually found in Atlantic coast of North America from Labrador to New Jersey. They live on the ocean, land and fresh water. It is also called American lobster, Canadian lobster, Northern lobster, True lobster, Maine lobster, Canadian Reds, Blackshell, Buckle shell, Blueshell, Crack backer, Maine lobster, Hard shell lobster, Massach Maine lobster, Northern lobster, New shell, Old shell lobster, Shedder, Northern Atlantic lobster and Softshell. This type of lobsters is bluish green to brown in color having red spines. History It is found on Atlantic coast of…

The fruit pie which uses apple as a main filling ingredient. It is dressed with ice cream and whipped cream on the top and cheddar cheese. The upper crust might be circular and pastry lattice which is interlinked with crosswise strips. The baker might bake the bottom of double crust first which helps to prevent from being soggy. It could be prepared with various types of apples including Bramley, Northern Spy, Empire, McIntosh and Granny Smith. The canned, fresh or reconstituted fruit can be used for the pie. This varies in the final texture as well as length of cooking…

Callinectes sapidus also called Atlantic blue crab, The Blue crab and Chesapeake blue crab. It is native to Western Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico. It is a decapod crab that belongs to the family Portunidae. It is quite similar to shrimp, prawns and lobster. There are about 6700 crab species and 93 crab groups. It is omnivores that live on an oceans, fresh water and land. It has the lifespan from three to four years. It measures upto 23 cm (9.1 inches) wide and 25 cm carapace long. The leg spans measures about 4 meters (13 ft) long. It…

Sausage is made from the grounded meat of pork, veal or beef by adding salt, breadcrumbs and spices. It is made from intestine. It could be barbecued, broiled and pan-fried. It is preserved by curing, smoking, drying and freezing. It is also preserved by salting organs and tissues such as organ meats, fat, blood and scraps which would be stuffed into tubular casings that is made with the clean intestines and is cylindrical in shape. History Sausage are manufactured before two thousand years and still known to the industry. The industry is using the new technologies to process the sausage.…

Pasta is the Italian food or noodle which is made from the unleavened dough extracted from durum wheat flour combined with eggs, water and formed into various shapes. It is boiled, cooked or baked. It is also prepared with flour made from grains and cereals. The pasta is divided into fresh pasta and dried pasta. Fresh pasta is made with hand or use of machines. Nowadays, large machines are used to make pasta available in the market. Both fresh and dried pasta has varieties of shapes. Long shapes, tubes, short shapes, miniature soup shapes, flat shapes and sheets, filled or…

Oolong tea is a Chinese tea which is extracted from the plant named Camellia sinensis. The plant is withered in the sun and oxidized before twisting and curling. It requires the degree of oxidation from 8 to 85%. It has become widely popular in South China and Southeast Asia. The oolong tea differs in the flavor with, fruity, honey, woody and roasted aromas. It requires the same process of making green tea and black tea. It is loaded with antioxidants, the leaf of Oolong if mixed with caffeine and catechin helps to eradicate free radicals. It is widely known for…

Cappuccino is a coffee drink which is made with hot milk, coffee and steamed milk foam. The micro foam has thick layer. It is served in the cup of 150 to 180 ml having a handle. It has rich texture and flavor. It has the taste of bold coffee. It could be added sugar to enhance the flavor. The Italian cappuccino is made with the use of espresso machines such as the Krups or La Pavoni. It is prepared by barista in Italy. Cappuccino is originated in Italy. The drink which is made from the combination of steamed milk and…

Pizza is a flatbread in which the cheese or tomato sauce is used as toppings and is baked in an oven. Vegetables, meats and condiments are also used as toppings. Pizza is available frozen or fresh, portions or whole and considered as the prevalent fast food in North America and Europe. We could find various varieties of pizzas which are cooked in an oven. Various ingredients are used to make it more flavorful. Mozzarella cheese is mostly common in pizzas. It is widely popular in the people of all ages. It is suitable for the celebration of any occasions. History…

Ice cream is the frozen food which is mostly consumed as a dessert. It is made with the use of cream and milk or fruits and flavoring agents. Sugar or artificial sweeteners are used to sweeten ice cream. Colorings, flavorings and stabilizers are also used. The mixture is whisked to combine air spaces and cooled down to the water’s freezing point in order to prevent formation of detectable ice crystals. It forms semi-solid and smooth foam which becomes solid in low temperatures. It is consumed with spoons or placed in cones. It is also used to make the desserts such…

Salmon is the fish species which belongs to the Salmonidae family. It is a close relative of char, trout, whitefish and grayling. It is native to North Atlantic and Pacific Ocean. It is widely farmed in various parts of the world. It is born in fresh water and is andromous. They are carnivorous and usually found in the fresh water. It measures upto 20 inches to 5 feet long. The color of the Salmon ranges from white, black, blue, silver to red. The inside flesh is orange or red. It has strong and distinct flavor. They migrate to ocean and…

Lard is the rendered or unrendered fat that is obtained from the pigs. It could be made from any part of pigs. It could be accomplished by boiling or steaming it in the water. The insoluble fat is separated from water or with the use of dry heat. It is not preferable to the vegetarians as it is possessed from the pig. It is used in various cuisines or used as a spread like butter. It is used as an ingredient in pates, sausages and fillings. The qualities of the lard depend on the fat of the part of pig…

Vetiver, with scientific name as Chrysopogon zizanioides, is the genus of plants in the grass family Poaceae. Vetiver grows well in hot to humid climates. It is a dense and clumping plant with erect and stiff stems that reaches upto 5 feet in height and bears brownish to purple flowers. This plant is native to India. Vetiver is also known as Cuscus grass, khus-khus, khus-khus grass, vetiver, vetiver grass, Khuskhus Vetiver, Motgrass and Vetiveria. It has perennial lifespan that has strong and finely structured roots. It is called chiendent odorant in French; Vetivergras in German; khas-khas in India; xiang gen…

Beef tallow is the fat which is extracted from the beef which is the processed form of suet. In the room temperature, it becomes solid. Without refrigerating it could be stored for long periods. It is placed in an airtight container in order to ward off oxidation. It contains 4% of polyunsaturated fat, 42% of monounsaturated fat and 50% of saturated fat. Tallow is great for the skin as it contains vitamins such as niacin, D, A, K and E. It possesses the conjugated linoleic acid that contains the anti-inflammatory properties that helps to counteract the cancer. Palmitoleic is a…

The fat which is extracted from the processing or rendering of chicken is the chicken fat. It is rich in linoleic acid which is an omega 6 fatty acid. It has 17.9% or 22.8% of linoleic acid levels. It is used in chicken soups as an additive, flavoring agent or a main component. It is also known to be schmaltz. The smoking point of chicken fat is about 375 degrees. It is the cooking fat which is unrefined and holds easily. The use of chicken fat provides the flavor of chicken to various dishes. Nutritional value One cup of 205…

Jaggery is the unrefined sugar or sweetener which is widely consumed in America, Africa and Asian countries. It is produced with the use of cane juice, date or palm sap. The color of Jaggery ranges from golden brown to dark brown. It possesses 20% of invert sugars, 50% of sucrose and 20% of moisture. It is also blended with peanuts, coconut, condensed milk, and white sugar. The various types of Jaggery are: Sugarcane Jaggery, Date Palm Jaggery, Palmyra Jaggery, Toddy Palm Jaggery and Other Palm Jaggery. It is a perfect substitute for sugar which is loaded with various nutrients and…