MarchCheese is a solid food made from the curdled milk of cows, goats, sheep, or other mammals. The milk is curdled using some combination of rennet (or rennet substitutes) and acidification. Bacteria acidify the milk and play a role in defining the texture and flavor of most cheeses. Some cheeses also feature molds, either on the outer rind or throughout.There are hundreds of types of cheese. Different styles and flavors of cheese are the result of using different species of bacteria and molds, different levels of milk fat, variations in length of aging, differing processing treatments (cheddaring, pulling, brining, mold wash) and different breeds of cows, sheep, or other mammals. Other factors include animal diet and the addition of flavoring agents such as herbs, spices, or wood smoke. Whether or not the milk is pasteurized may also affect the flavor.For a few cheeses, the milk is curdled by adding acids such as vinegar or lemon juice. Most cheeses, however, are acidified to a lesser degree by bacteria, which turn milk sugars into lactic acid, followed by the addition of rennet to complete the curdling. Rennet is an enzyme traditionally obtained from the stomach lining of young cattle, but now also laboratory produced. Substitute "vegetable rennets" have been extracted from various species of the Cynara thistle family.Cheeses are eaten raw or cooked, alone or with other ingredients. As they are heated, most cheeses melt and brown. Some cheeses, like raclette, melt smoothly; many others can be coaxed into doing so in the presence of acids or starch. Fondue, with wine providing the acidity, is a good example of a smoothly-melted cheese dish. Other cheeses turn elastic and stringy when they melt, a quality that can be enjoyed in dishes like pizza and Welsh rabbit. Some cheeses melt unevenly, their fats separating as they heat, while a few acid-curdled cheeses, including halloumi, paneer and ricotta, do not melt at all and can become firmer when cooked.Featured article archive • Nominate an article • More featured articlesAprilTea is a product made by processing the leaves or buds of the tea bush Camellia sinensis. It is commonly consumed in the form of a beverage made by steeping the processed leaves in hot water for a few minutes. Tea can refer both to the brew thus produced or to the material used to make it. The English word tea derives from the Min Nan dialect pronunciation tê of the Chinese word 茶. The flavour of the raw tea is developed by processes including oxidation, heating, drying and the addition of other herbs, spices, or fruit. Tea is a natural source of caffeine. Tea is also diuretic.The term herbal tea usually refers to infusions of fruit or herbs containing no actual tea, for example rosehip tea or chamomile tea. Alternative terms for this are tisane or herbal infusion, which lack the word tea. This article is concerned exclusively with preparations and uses of the tea plant.Tea is often referred to by one of its many slang names, including Cuppa (short for Cup of Tea), Cha and "brew".A total of 3,200,000 tonnes of tea were produced worldwide in 2004 FAO figures.Featured article archive • Nominate an article • More featured articlesMayBlack pepper (Piper nigrum) is a flowering vine in the family Piperaceae, cultivated for its fruit, which is usually dried and used as a spice and seasoning. The same fruit is also used to produce white pepper and green pepper. Black pepper is native to South India and is extensively cultivated there and elsewhere in tropical regions. The fruit, known as a peppercorn when dried, is a small drupe five millimetres in diameter, dark red when fully mature, containing a single seed.Dried, ground pepper is one of the most common spices in European cuisine and its descendants, having been known and prized since antiquity for both its flavour and its use as a medicine. The spiciness of black pepper is due to the chemical piperine. Ground black peppercorn, usually referred to simply as "pepper", may be found on nearly every dinner table in some parts of the world, often alongside table salt.The word pepper is derived from the Sanskrit pippali , via the Latin piper and Old English pipor. The Latin word is also the source of German pfeffer, French poivre, Dutch peper, and other similar forms. In the 16th century, pepper started referring to New World chile peppers as well. Pepper was used in a figurative sense meaning "spirit" or "energy" at least as far back as the 1840s; in the early 20th century, this was shortened to pep.Featured article archive • Nominate an article • More featured articlesJuneCoca-Cola (often abbreviated to "Coke") is the world's most popular carbonated soft drink. It is sold in hundreds of countries around the world. The Coca-Cola Company's headquarters are located in Atlanta, Georgia.Coca-Cola has been criticised for its possible negative health effects, with many urban myths surrounding it. In addition, The commercial dominance of the drink was periodically challenged, especially in the 1980s when Coca-Cola's main rival, Pepsi-Cola, claimed taste tests had proven people preferred Pepsi to Coke. The Coca-Cola Company's eventual reaction was to phase out Coca-Cola and institute "New Coke". However, widespread outrage and boycotts after the announcement of the rollout led the company to restore the original drink, while keeping New Coke on the market.Featured article archive • Nominate an article • More featured articlesJulyA shrimp farm is an aquaculture business for the cultivation of marine shrimp or prawns for human consumption. Commercial shrimp farming began in the 1970s, and production grew steeply, particularly to match the market demands of the USA, Japan and Western Europe. The total global production of farmed shrimp reached more than 1.6 million tonnes in 2003, representing a value of nearly 9,000 million U.S. dollars. About 75% of farmed shrimp is produced in Asia, in particular in China and Thailand. The other 25% is produced mainly in Latin America, where Brazil is the largest producer. The largest exporting nation is Thailand.Featured article archive • Nominate an article • More featured articlesAugustIn the fictional universe of Babylon 5, spoo is a valuable and highly desired food product. Made from the alien worm-like creatures of the same name, spoo is considered to be the most delicious food in the galaxy, regardless of which species is asked. Although it is a universally loved foodstuff and an actively traded commodity, the creature itself is regarded with contempt by the races that consume it.Since its introduction on the Babylon 5 television series, spoo has remained popular among fans of the science fiction saga, spawning everything from attempts to cook their own version of spoo, to fan fiction related to the creatures. In recent years, spoo has taken on various meanings outside the Babylon 5 universe and fan community, and can now be found in areas such as day trading jargon and computer programming.Featured article archive • Nominate an article • More featured articlesSeptemberAbsinthe (also absinth) (IPA English: IPA French: ) is a distilled, highly alcoholic, anise-flavored spirit derived from herbs including the flowers and leaves of the medicinal plant Artemisia absinthium, also called wormwood. Although it is sometimes incorrectly called a liqueur, absinthe does not contain added sugar and is therefore classified as a liquor or spirit.Absinthe is often referred to as la Fée Verte ("The Green Fairy") because of its coloring — typically pale or emerald green, but sometimes clear. Due to its high proof and concentration of oils, absintheurs (absinthe drinkers) typically add three to five parts ice-cold water to a dose of absinthe, which causes the drink to turn cloudy (called "louching"); often the water is used to dissolve added sugar to decrease bitterness. This preparation is considered an important part of the experience of drinking absinthe, so much so that it has become ritualized, complete with special slotted absinthe spoons and other accoutrements. Absinthe's flavor is similar to anise-flavored liqueurs, with a light bitterness and greater complexity imparted by multiple herbs.Featured article archive • Nominate an article • More featured articlesOctoberImage:Crocus sativus saffron pollenation Anna Tatti stockxchng.jpgThe trade and usage of saffron reaches back more than 3,000 years and includes marketing for medicinal, culinary, and colourative applications. Saffron, a spice derived from the dried stigmas of the saffron crocus (Crocus sativus), has remained among history's most costly comestibles. With its bitter taste, hay-like fragrance, and slight metallic notes, saffron has been used as a seasoning, fragrance, dye, and medicine. Saffron is native to Southwest Asia,but was first cultivated in Greece.In both antiquity and modern times, most saffron was and is used in the preparation of food and drink: cultures spread across Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Americas value the red threads for use in such items as baked goods, curries, and liquor.Saffro