With such a range to choose from it can be tough to know what one to buy, even for a seasoned foodie and even more difficult if you are buying gifts. So to help you decide, the quick ten has come up with a world class list of cookbooks featuring dishes from around the world.

1. Larousse Gastronomique

   This is perhaps the most comprehensive reference book for all things cooking and food. It’s a true encyclopedia of edibles.

2. Grand Livre De Cuisine – Alain Ducasse’s

   Ducasse, French chef and restratuer, has an impressive haul of Michelin Stars. This is his most definitive cookbook, featuring French and Mediterranean recipes, ingredients and techniques. And packed with food porn.

3. Vietnamese Home Cooking – Charles Phan

   Charles Phan owner of Vietnamese fusion restaurant in San Francisco, I love this book as it provides a break down on techniques from making dumplings to hot & sour soup.

4. Nutmeg & Custard Marcus Wareing

   One of Gordan Ramsey’s protégés, this book is worth it for the section on puds and other desserts alone.

5. Go Fish – Al Brown

   Brown has become something of a Kiwi celeb chef in the last few years. This is a real down to earth book, packed full of great recipes, stories and narrative.

6. Great Britain – Jamie Oliver

   What modern day cookbook list could be complete from the Naked Chef himself? British cuisine might not be your idea of good eating but this cook book is jammed full of old favourites and plenty of new ones taking influences from the blessed isles multicultural melting pot (pun intended). Well worth the investment.

7. POLPO – Russell Norman

   If you are looking for something a little different from the average Italian recipe book then this might just be what you are looking for. A Venetian cookbook (of sorts) from the owners of London restaurant Polpo.

8. Far Eastern Odyssey – Rick Stein

   Asian
   Rick Stein’s unassuming, laid back almost fatherly narrative has always been a favourtie of mine. This book is packed with colourful and appetizing photos it’s a nice introduction to more exotic meals, without being unachievable

9. Movida Rustica – Frank Camora and Richard Cornish

   Traditional Spanish
   Looking for the real Spain? Look no further, Spanish born Aussie bred chef Frank Comora has gone to some lengths in this book to capture the traditional meals of regional Spain.

10. Bouchon – Thomas Keller

    Modern French
    If you ever pay the Napa Valley a visit, then I highly recommend a visit to Bouchon, the books namesake. Bouchon the book and restaurant take a slightly modern approach to the solid cooking found in a typical French bistro. If you like French food you’ll like Bouchon.

Superfood shopping

Start Getting Healthy

So you’ve done the New Years detox, you’re busy juicing and you’re hitting the gym; no? Well perhaps you’re not doing all or even one of these, but if you do want to be a little healthier there are some items that are worth adding to your shopping basket, but beware what you buy.

Chances are you have heard of the term Superfood it basically means food that has very high Nutrition content. The trouble is, super foods are often associated with faddish, high priced items touted to offer health benefits such reducing the risk of heart disease, curing cancer, boosting immunity, restoring hair growth, giving the strength of ten tigers and making you fly. But there is often limited medical or scientific evidence to back this up.

Cheaper Alternatives But All the Same Nutrients

Whilst many of these trendy Superfoods like acai berry and goji berries are packed with nutrients and contain powerful anti-oxidents; there are cheaper more readily available items that will do you just as much good. So in the interest of keeping it real, Quickten have come up with the top ten Supermarket ready super foods:

1. Kale

2. Broccoli

3. Green tea

4. Beetroot

5. Cherries or blueberries

6. Honey

7. Kiwi fruit

8. Salmon

9. Ginger

10. Oats

And if you’re looking for a serotonin boosting feel good factor treat to eat try these beetroot, dark chocolate and chilli brownies.  You can also check out our top ten list of manuka honey brands from New Zealand if you really want to add some luxury sweetness to your life.

You can never be too safe.

Keep Your Home Safe

So you have completed all the basic steps to make your house as safe as possible but now it’s time to take it to the next level and invest some of your hard earned money into a quality security system for home? Well you have come to the right place if you are looking to find the best because we have managed to pull together the ten best home security systems in the market based on price, technology, convenience, features and reliability.

Sure you could go and purchase a cheap alarm system or even one of those faux systems you hang on the outside of your property (why anyone would do this is beyond us). But it will simply not do your home security justice, you need a system which has the flexibility and features to ensure that your prized positions remain where they should be.

Take Time Selecting the Right Alarm for Your Home

Obviously we have created a great top ten list below of the very best alarms in the market but you should also consider which system and it’s features suit your home. So are you looking for a more surveillance based system which can capture would-be intruders or are you looking for something that can actively detect and deter intruders which is what we are looking at today….or both? Also think about the layout of your property and what system would work best within either tight confines or large open areas?

1. Simplisafe

   Simplisafe2 Wireless Home Security System

2. DSC

   DSC TYCO Alarm System PC1832

3. LaserShiled

   LaserShield BSK-0013101 Home Security System

4. Skylink

   Skylink SC-1000 Complete Wireless Alarm System, White

5. Fortress

   Fortress S02-B Wireless Home Security Alarm System

6. Honeywell

   Honeywell L5100PK – LYNX Touch

7. PiSector

   PiSector Wireless Home Security Alarm System

8. 2gig

   2gig GCKIT311 3G Go Control 311

9. Macally

   Macally AirAlarmII Wireless Smart Home Alarm System

10. GE Simon

    GE SIMON XT WIRELESS Security System

If you are looking for a top class home surveillance system as well then you cannot go past the outstanding Swann SWDVK-825508 8-Channel Digital Video Recorder with Smartphone Viewing. It is simply brilliant and leverages cutting edge technology. Take a look at DIY Guides for a great review on Swan security surveillance systems.

Chicago River

The 17th March is St Patricks Day time to celebrate being Irish! If you don’t have any Irish ancestry that doesn’t matter, most of us can cobble together a connection to the Emerald Isle no matter how vague; my sister lived there for six months, I like Guinness and like House of Pain, practically makes me a leprechaun!

Despite it being associated with a boozathon supplemented with green beer and disgusting green food, in Ireland surprisingly pubs actually close. Over 94 million people plan to wear green on St Pats Day, over 20 times the population of Ireland. So here’s The Quick Ten to St Patrick’s Day:

1. Guinness (stout)

   Global consumption of Guinness alone more than doubles to a staggering 13 million pints on St Patrick’s Day, (one of them at least with my name on it). Don’t like stout? Perhaps a nifty Guinness Gaelic Label T-shirt

2. Irish stew

   Recipe

3. Whiskey

   Irish whiskey is not only spelt differently from Scottish whisky but is usually softer because it’s triple distilled to remove more impurities. So hopefully less likely to give you a hangover like a banshee!

4. Leprechauns

   Cheeky mischievious ginger wee sprites dressed in green, with a funny hat and dandy shoes. If you see one, don’t trust them – it probably means you’ve had too much Guinness!

5. Something green to wear

   Legend has it that wearing green renders you invisible to leprechauns, when a leprechaun sees you they pinch you and no one ones to be pinched by a ginger midget, with elf ears and a funny hat. An it doesn’t get better than a Celtic Football Shirt

6. An Irish pub

   Every city in the world has at least one to choose from. The Irish Pub

7. A funny hat

   St. Patrick’s Day Leprechaun Hat

8. Hot Irish girls

   They’re easy on the eye (especially the red or raven haired lasses) have a sexy accent, a potty mouth and they’ll probably drink you under the table.

9. A fiddle

   Call it ‘diddy diddy music’ but it’ll get you dancing and is a favourite of The Pogues and the The Corrs

10. Shamrocks

    The Shamrock is Ireland’s emblem and brings the wearer luck. It’s estimated by some clever people with calculators that there is one four leafed clover for every 10,000 three leafed clovers.

No St Patrick’s Day would be complete without a few humorous quotes, toasts and limericks: As you slide down the banister of life, may the splinters never point in the wrong direction.

Erin go bragh!

The beautiful Mt Fuji

Where Old World Meets New

Japan is a land of contrast, where old world traditions and beliefs grapple with the tech driven electric fuelled future. Tokyo as a city is an utterly insane but exciting place to experience. Fast paced isn’t an adequate description.

More Michelin Stars than Paris

Tokyo is the largest city in the world, home to around 20 million people (thats a lot of sushi). Talking of eating there are more Michelin starred restaurants in Tokyo than Paris and has undoubtedly the worlds most efficient train underground train system – but craziest commuter culture in the world.

And then there is the rest of Japan, one of the best countries I have ever visited:

1. Ryogoku District | Tokyo

   National sumo stadium, if you want to watch fat blokes grapple this is the place to be. Tournaments are held in January, May and September. Sumo: A Pocket Guide

    

2. Harajuku | Tokyo

   A focal point for fashion, music, youth and dancing Elvis’s. Visit for the latest trends and a glimpse of Harajuku girls dressed in colourful, outrageous and sometimes slightly sexy costumes. Albert Siegel’s Harajuku Girls

    

3. Tskujii fish markets | Tokyo

   Get there early to see the tuna auctions and by early we mean 5am. Finish off with a traditional seafood breakfast at one of the many surrounding cafes in Tskuji.

    

4. Tokyo National Museum

   Allow plenty of time here it’s packed with national treasures telling the history of Japan and Tokyo. Also has a collection of interesting artifacts from China & Korea.

    

5. Mount Fuji

   About an hour outside Tokyo it is an impressive sight and achievable in a daytrip from the big city. Four Seasons of Mt. Fuji

    

6. Itsukushima island & Miyajima shrine | Hiroshima

   Located a short boat trip from the city, UNESCO World Heritage site and Shinto shrine. This is an incredible place. Departure

    

7. Nishiki Ichiba (Market) | Kyoto

   Known as Kyoto’s Kitchen with over 100 stalls selling food, cooking utensils, knives and eateries. Kyoto is not to be missed. Kyoto (City Travel Guide)

    

8. Hiroshima peace museum | Hiroshima

   The museum commemorates the devastation caused by the atomic bomb over 60’s years ago. Fascinating and moving at the same time, the city itself is very lively. Departure

    

9. Himeji castle

   Another UNESCO World Heritage site, perhaps the best example of Japan’s 17th century castles.  Tokyo City Guide

    

10. Kiso Valley

    Located in the Nagano prefecture, central Japan. Nagano is a rural region with some of Japan’s most picturesque walks. If you’re after contrast to Tokyo’s tempo and to experience the hospitality of traditional ryokans (inns) the Kiso Valley is the place.

     

    And if you’re visiting Tokyo but don’t bother packing PJs, you wont need them. A complete guide to Tokyo: Tokyo City Guide

Honey, Not Just For Your Toast or Greek Yogurt

Manuka Honey has long been renowned for it’s healing qualities through it’s immense antibacterial properties.  So much so that companies in America are utilizing the health benefits of manuka honey to create medical dressings.  Derma Sciences (part owned by Comvita a large honey producer in New Zealand) has been pioneering this technology and received FDA approval for the production of the product in September 2012.

Only Consider the Original Source of Manuka Honey – New Zealand

Medical science aside, there are now a plethora of brands in the market to choose from who have sourced only the best produce from some of the finest bee hives from around the country.  Now to cut down the confusion, we have not even considered the Australian produced/replicated Manuka Honey products due to it’s lack of authenticity and some would argue quality.  That’s right we are going straight for the original source produce in the eco-friendly country of New Zealand, who have fast become world famous for taking this type of honey to the world.

The Selection Process

To make sure we were selecting the right honey brands we collated and used the below attributes during the process.  Obviously we don’t have access to the latest laboratory to test out the medical prowess of each honey but we think we have a fairly robust selection process in place to make sure we have quality product.

• Success or Size of the company
• User ratings
• Taste
• Packaging
• Origin

So lets get into it:

1. Comvita

   www.comvita.co.nz

2. NZ Health Naturally

   www.nzhealthnaturally.com

3. Honey New Zealand

   www.honeynz.co.nz

4. API Health

   www.apihealth.com

5. Airborne

   www.airborne.co.nz

6. Pure Honey New Zealand

   www.purenewzealandhoney.com

7. Arataki Honey

   www.aratakihoneyhb.co.nz

8. Mieon

   www.honeyforrest.co.nz

9. Red Seal

   www.redseal.co.nz

10. Ora Honey

    www.orahoney.co.nz

New Zealand is an amazing place not only for it’s vast assortment of tourist attractions packed into one small Island but also it’s abundance of natural product which it exports in the millions of tonnes globally each year.  So don’t just taste and enjoy the product this country has to offer, plan a trip over here and come sample what it has to offer in person.

Apple vs. Samsung

Humble Beginnings for the Tablet

Tablet’s have come a long way since their humble and conceptual beginnings back in 1888 when a  patent was made for a electrical stylus device for capturing handwriting and then many moons later with the more recognizably commercial release of the Windows Tablet PC in 2002 .

However when looking at which company really brought this form of computing to the forefront of commercial viability then you cannot look past the marketing behemoth that is Apple.   They were the first to really “shift the needle” in terms of innovation in this space and push a gluttony of users towards this way of mobile computing.  

The Selection Process is Becoming Harder

With so many Tablets now entering the market it’s becoming a bit of a minefield in terms of finding the best possible brand to sink your hard earned cash into.  In our humble opinion it’s not really the physical features that the devices come with such as a camera but more about the connectivity with other technology and it’s ability to handle the operating platform in an intuitive manner.  For example, there is obviously a large number of devices that support various iterations of the Android OS but if you compared the Samsung Galaxy tablet to a Dell tablet then they are leagues apart, with Samsung clearly getting a better handle on the technology.

Lets Make it Easy

That’s where we come in, we have compiled a list of the Top Ten tablet brands that are currently in the market and their corresponding best selling and most trusted product.

Apple – We recommend the Apple iPad

Samsung  - We recommend the Samsung Galaxy Tab

Google – We recommend the Google Nexus

Asus  - We recommend the ASUS Eee Pad Transformer

Acer - We recommend the Acer Iconia Tab

Toshiba - We recommend the Toshiba Thrive

 Motorola - We recommend the MOTOROLA XOOM

HP - We recommend the HP TouchPad

HTC - We recommend the HTC Flyer

Dell - We recommend the Dell Streak

The pristine water and lush landscape of New Zealand

Get Health Products from a Pure Source

New Zealand is known for it’s lush greenery, stunning vistas, diverse landscape and one of the cleanest environments for producing some of the finest natural health products in the world.  It’s no wonder consumers from around the world seek out this small nations products to help them with anything from energy levels to fighting off the flu.

The expansion of these health products into the global market has seen growth not only in the range and brands on offer but also the ingredients used within them.  This has meant the decision making in terms of the health supplements to buy has become a bit more difficult for the average discerning consumer.  That’s why we are going to help you out and show you what the best range of health goods from New Zealand are.

Making the Decision

Now we didn’t just approach this top 10 list in a hap hazard way, oh no, we have come up with a list of key attributes that each product must have.  If the product had more of these attributes than the other then they were prioritized accordingly.  Normally price would be a factor in this list building exercise but on this occasion we have decided to focus more on the quality of the goods rather than the economic factors.

The attributes we were looking at are as follows:

• Success or Size of the company
• User ratings
• Proven health benefits
• Sustainability
• Practicality

1. UMF Manuka Honey - Comvita

   www.comvita.co.nz – Comvita is one of the oldest honey producing companies in New Zealand as has diversified into a global range of honey related products.  Their UMF range of honey is one of the best in the world, known for it’s anti-bacterial healing abilities and packed full of anti-oxidants.

2. Green Lipped Mussel - Good Health

   www.goodhealth.co.nz – Good Health are a well respected company producing a varied range of health supplements within New Zealand.  Their Green Lipped Mussel tablets are rated very highly, especially in the Asia markets where it’s joint health benefits are seen as a way to help people stay mobile.

3. Colostrum - Deep Blue Health

   www.deepbluehealth.co.nz –  Colostrum is a dairy product made from cows and aids in bone development and boosting your immune system.

4. Bee Propolis – API Health

   www.apihealth.com - Bee Propolis has varied health benefits but one of the more famous attributes is the claim that it can improve breathing.  It is believed that this is more relevant for people who suffer from a mild form of asthma and struggle during the winter months.  Whilst smaller than other players like Comvita, API Health still provide a product which consumers rate.

5. Royal Jelly - Comvita

   www.comvita.co.nz - Royal Jelly is a secretion which is produced when worker bee’s believe they need a new Queen.  They use this natural food source to provide additional nutrients to selected larvae who will hopefully grow and become the Queen bee.  These very nutrients are the main attributes believed to provide the necessary health benefits such as immune health.

6. Spirulina – Lifefoods

   www.lifefoods.co.nz –  Whilst Spirulina is not necessarily unique to New Zealand, the natural ingredients used in the process of making the powder are second to none.  This means the quality of Spirulina from New Zealand is of the highest quality, especially the organic powder created by Lifefoods

7. Omega 3 Fish Oil - Good Health

   www.goodhealth.co.nz - The island nation of New Zealand is renowned for it’s diverse and bountiful marine life hence why we really can’t go past their Omega 3 fish oil products.  Good health produce their Omega with unfarmed cold water fish.  Great for stimulating brain activity and all round health.

8. Rosehip Oil – Trilogy

   www.trilogyproducts.com - Rosehip is widely renowned for improving the health of your skin and claimed to be an essential to any beauty regime determined to defy the onset of ageing.  Trilogy are one of the top brands in this space and offer a wide range of ethically created products.

9. Flax Seed Oil – Waihi Bush

   www.waihibush.co.nz –  Flax seed oil is a great alternative for vegetarians looking to get the same benefits of fish oil but without the obvious side effects.

10. Bilberry – NZ Pure Health

    www.nzpurehealth.com – Bilberry is the perfect option for improving the health of your eyes.  It has been used in the treatment of ailments such as conjunctivitis, glaucoma, reducing Cataract formation.

To see what the Top 10 natural products coming out of New Zealand, click here.

Get the Right Tools

So you have been reading DIY guides and fancy having a crack at building your very own smoke house in your backyard? Well we think its a great idea, as long as you take your time and concentrate on the instructions…..and never, never use galvanized metals in the building of your smokehouse.

But now that you have created this masterpiece to smoke your meat in, you are going to need the right tools to help do the job properly.  One of the most important tools to get right is the burner.  Without a robust burner that can get to an accurate temperature then all your hard work will go to waste.

So what do you need to do to find the best gas burner? Our thoughts exactly,  so we all took a step back and started to look at a few different elements which would allow us to create our top ten list.  These elements consisted of the following; price, durability, pressure control and safety.

Find the Right Burner

With these in mind we were able to begin picking off the burners that are just not suitable for your needs.  Sure you could go out and buy your very own stainless steel smoker but then where is the fun in that? Nope you are definitely on the right course (excuse the pun) when it comes to making your own and imagine how much better that smoked chicken will taste when it comes out.

Now lets get into our top 10 list of the best gas burners for your culinary adventure:

1. Bayou Classic SP10
2. Bayou Classic SQ14
3. Stansport Cast Iron Burner
4. Buffalo Tools Burner
5. Camp Chef SH-140L
6. Bayou Classic SP40 22-Inch Double Jet
7. King Kooker CS14
8. Sportsman DBCIS
9. Bayou Classic KAB4
10. GasOne Cast Iron Burner

So what are you waiting for? Get the burner and complete your project!

Famous Ginger in the making

Gingers Are Becoming Stronger, Fitter, Faster

They may not have many friends at school, they may be the last person you’d ever consider breeding with, they may not have a soul and they may not be able to go out on a sunny day without suffering third degree burns, so in theory they should have been breed out of existence.  However they haven’t and if anything, they are getting stronger, fitter, faster. Perhaps this persecution is the drive that pushes some of them to seek fame in the quest for acceptance?

Day Walkers – The ‘Blade’ of Gingers

The one thing you would notice when going through this list is that it’s not completely made up of pure blood Gingers. No. There are some “day walkers” in the midst such as Chuck Norris and Ginger Spice who whilst are clearly ginger, don’t have all the traits.

“Day Walker” is a term used to describe people who have obviously ginger hair but do not come with the accompanying pure white skin that burns after 2 mins exposure in the sun.  These day walkers roam the earth getting the best of both worlds such as the speed and power of a pure blood ginger (this only applies to Gingers who can harness the rage and use it for good) matched with the light brown skin and ability to fly under the radar.

But irrespective of these ‘Blade‘ type characteristics they are still going to be included in our best of list.

Don’t be Offended

Here are 10 who’ve made it against all odds, to dominate their chosen path and make being ginger pretty fricking awesome.  If you do happen to be offended by this article then please take it up with our resident Ginger who wrote this article and contact us here.

Chuck Norris – This man is truly one of the greats. 

Queen Elizabeth I – Not as invincible as Chuck but possibly as deadly.

Ginger Spice – She was in the most successful girl band of all.

Prince Harry – One of the more powerful Ginger’s out there and he walks the walk.

Nicole Kidman – Probably most well known for “Days of Thunder” but she was in a Kubrick film you know.

Mick Hucknall – This pint size Ginge (pronounced phonically in a French accent like “sh-oungeee”) has been cranking the tunes for years.

Rupert Grint – The youngest of the “blood nuts” but still swimming in cash from his Harry Potter days.

David Caruso – He has perfected the art of “looking down while talking and then dramatically raising your head as you finish speaking”.

Paul Scholes – He plays football, you know the most popular sport in the world and he is really good…for a Ginge.

Alf – He is seriously rusty orange this guy and yes whilst Shaun White should be here he ins’t.

Check out our Top Ten Greatest Ginger Sports People