What Is The Best Diabetes Testing Device Available?

By Renata Nyleve

With dozens of different testing kits on the market, finding the one that fits you might be challenging at first. The simple answer to this is: "Whatever device feels the most comfortable." Due to the nature of diabetic testing, its hard to find any of the testing equipment that does not at least hurt during the initial sampling procedure. When you are shopping for any diabetic testing supplies, whether it be for a meter or for strips, keep in mind the cost. If the strips are too expensive, you might not be willing to test as often as you should be. Do not make the mistake of trying to stretch your strips, your health is not something to risk over a few dollars.

Finding a cheap testing meter is not very hard, but finding a glucose meter that is cheap, and also has affordable strips can be a scavenger hunt. The best way to compare it is like a shaving razor, where the razor is only a few bucks to start, but the blade refills are over twenty dollars for a package. The same can go for your testing supplies. Lot of companies offer a mail-in rebate for their meters, allowing you to get your meter and initial kit for a few dollars to free, but the refills on the testing strips can be as high as two to three dollars per strip. For some, that is still in the affordable range, but keep in mind that there is no such thing as 'generic' testing strips for a testing device. It will only function with its specific brand of strips. So if cost is your major issue, give your insurance a call and see what kind of strips they cover by prescription, if any, before you start your search for your meter.

All testing kits do the same thing. While it might be nice to be able to plug your meter into a USB port on your computer and have it graph out your sugar levels for the last month on the screen, that is just a bonus effect. Find the meter that fits best for you and travels easily and you will be safe and happy. All diabetic testing meters are required to do is exactly that, test your blood sugar levels, so test as often as your doctor asks, and do not risk your health over a few dollars.

Final Tip: by researching and comparing the different alternatives you will be to get free diabetic testing supplies or at little cost. Fortunately, you can take advantage of our recommended resources, we have done already all the hard work for you. Renata Nyleve runs the Free Diabetic Testing Supplies website - where you can get completely free diabetes supplies. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Renata_Nyleve

5 Signs of Prescription Drug Addiction

By Tony Bylsma

Social Withdrawal

Persons abusing and becoming addicted to prescription drugs have a need to conceal what is happening. Increased contact with others simply increases the chance of discovery, and so is avoided. As the need to conceal what is happening gets stronger, so does the need to withdraw. Functions they normally attend are skipped and activities which require social interaction are more and more neglected.

Increased Usage

When dealing with the pain of an injury, dependence on an opiate pain killer such as OxyContin or Vicodin can result. One strong indication is increased usage of the medication. During the healing process, pain should subside over time unless the injury is not healing which should be obvious. If it appears to be improving but the use of pain killers is remaining the same or increasing, it is time to become suspicious. Dependency on the drug could be developing and rehab needed.

Attitude Changes

Hypersensitivity to criticism, especially where the drugs are concerned is a strong indication of developing problems. If the whole subject is completely untouchable, it is likely time to seek help.

Increased Efforts to Obtain Prescriptions

As use increases beyond normal limits, it becomes necessary for the addict to get more creative in obtaining the drug. Going to pharmacies further away from home, visiting new doctors and having new "pains" are just a few of the signs of a budding drug abuse problem. Most doctors will cut the prescriptions off or at least cut the amounts and strengths down when they suspect addiction setting in.

This makes it necessary for the user to go the extra mile.

Personal Appearance and Hygiene Changes

Very common signs of increasing prescription drug addiction are changes in normal everyday functions such as personal hygiene and care of personal appearance. These functions become less of a priority when the obtaining of and use of the addictive substance becomes more encompassing.

These factors can be signals of other problems too, but when two or more of them are becoming obvious, it is definitely time to look for a substance abuse problem and seek prescription drug addiction treatment.

For advice regarding addiction or help finding the best treatment, visit the link above or visit Tony's blog at http://www.detoxrehab.org.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Tony_Bylsma

Family Dental Plans - What You Need to Know

By Linda D. Perry

Being single means that you only have to fend for yourself; but even so, the task is still not an easy one. On the other hand, having to fend for a family is extremely difficult. With the many financial obligations that parents have to fulfill, getting a dental plan for all of them can be an arduous task. Many people overlook the dental health of their families and only go to the dentists when their children are afflicted with a toothache or other serious dental problems. However, negligence can have dire consequences, and you may find that foregoing routine check-ups can leave you with a major dental problem and at an expensive price too. Fortunately, many insurance providers offer family dental plans to cater for the dental needs of the average family.

Family dental plans usually cover for routine maintenance and check-ups such as prophylaxis, dental fillings, and oral exams. In you want surgical procedures to be covered as well, it is best to speak with the insurance provider to determine which plan covers them. Aside from the wide range of dental services that can be availed, another advantage of this type of plan is the discounts that can be enjoyed. Many of them offer up to 60% discount on dental services which can save families a lot of money. Compared to individual dental plans, the family plans are easier to process which means that in about day or two, the policy goes into effect and family members can already avail of the services.

In order to find the best family dental plans to suit your needs, there are several things that you have to keep in mind. Firstly, it is of utmost importance to research about the different family plans there is. Find out which of them covers a wide range of dental services at a monthly fee that is easy on your family's budget. It is also advisable to call various insurance companies so you can ask as many questions about their plans as possible. It is important to be thorough so that you won't have to deal with issues later that may arise as a result of confusion.

If your family already has a dentist in mind, you should ask whether he is a member of the family dental plans that you have your eye on. It is not easy to have to change dentists especially if your family was comfortable with the previous one. A dentist who is also familiar with your family's dental history is an added advantage because you are assured that he will be able to provide the dental care that your family needs.

Click Here ==> for much more information on Family Dental Plans and Dental Plans, visit LookDentalPlans.com <== Click Here Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Linda_D._Perry

Network Administrator - Duties and Functions

By Derek Rogers

Many organisations use a three tier support staff solution, with tier one (help desk) personnel handling the initial calls, tier 2 (technicians and PC support analysts) and tier three (network administrators). Most of those organisations follow a fixed staffing ratio, and being a network administrator is either the top job, or next to top job, within the technical support department.

Network administrators are responsible for making sure computer hardware and the network infrastructure itself is maintained properly for an IT organisation. They are deeply involved in the procurement of new hardware (does it meet existing standardisation requirements? Does it do the job required?) rolling out new software installs, maintaining the disk images for new computer installs (usually by having a standardised OS and application install), making sure that licenses are paid for and up to date for software that need it, maintaining the standards for server installations and applications, and monitoring the performance of the network, checking for security breaches, poor data management practices and more.

Most network administrator positions require a breadth of technical knowledge and the ability to learn the ins and outs of new networking and server software packages quickly. While designing and architecting a network is usually the job of a network engineer, many organisations roll that function into a network administrator position as well; day to day and month to month"Is it up?" jobs fall on the shoulders of the network administrators.

One of the chief jobs of a network administrator is connectivity; the cry "The networks down" usually means the network admin has to be hip deep in something fixing it and post haste. They are in charge of making sure connectivity works for all users in their organisation, and making sure data security is handled properly for connections to the outside internet. (For network administrators doing security aspects, this can be a full time job in and of itself.)

Trouble tickets work their way through the help desk, then through analyst level support, before hitting the network administrator level; as a result, in their day-to-day operations, they should not be dealing directly with end users as a routine function. Most of their jobs should be on scheduling and implementing routine maintenance tasks, updating disaster prevention programs, making sure that network backups are run and doing test restores to make sure that those restores are sound.

Other jobs that fall on the network administrator's tasks include fighting for the IT budget and setting standardised installs packages up so that all end user desktops are identical. While the network administrator probably isn't doing the installs on new computers, he is likely to be the one in charge of setting up what gets installed, and setting user access policies, as well as evaluating the purchase of new equipment to replace older gear that has been deployed. Similar decisions are made regarding software packages (both for end user support and server levels) and networking hardware.

Network administrators are jokingly referred to as the highest level of techie you get before you get turned into a pointy haired boss and made into management.

Derek Rogers is a freelance writer who writes for a number of UK businesses. For information on Network Support, he recommends Network 24, a leading UK network support services provider. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Derek_Rogers

Professional Photography Tips For Compact Digital Camera Users - How to Take Good Portrait Photos

By Wan Tze Lee

If you've seen many beautiful portrait photos and you might be wondering how to take stunning pictures of your subjects' faces - it can be done by using both SLR cameras and compact digital cameras. However, as for amateur photographers (those who have limited knowledge about photography) - if you're under this category; you might be having difficulties of producing good portrait pictures with your point-and-shoot camera.

Certainly, there are few tips that you can take dazzling portrait photos by using your point-and-shoot camera:

Tip No.1: Taking multiple photo shoots in different angles

Basically, your subject's face is normally focused and placed at the center of the picture during a portrait photo shoot. In that case, not all subjects look nice by staring straightly at the camera lens during the photo shoot. Therefore, you can request the subject to stare slightly to the left or right at the lens during the photo shooting process. At the other way around, let the subject naturally look at you - this time, the photographer changes the position of her camera, i.e. by adjusting the height of the tripod, or taking few shots at different angles.

Tip No.2: Having different backdrops or themes for your subject

Choosing the right backdrop or theme is important to make your subject's face (a.k.a. the foreground) more noticeable and well-perceived by others. Avoid using striking colored backgrounds that could overshadow your subject. You can use other materials such as solid colored wrinkled cloths, boards or walls as your backdrops which can create different tones on your subject's face.

If you want to have real underwater themes - you can use the Canon waterproof digital camera to take clear and excellent underwater portrait photos which is impossibly taken by using conventional types of digital cameras.

Tip No. 3: Try suitable shooting mode for the right photo-taking condition

Make use of the advanced presets or shooting modes so that you can take high-quality portrait pictures in different conditions. For Canon PowerShot digital camera users, they would usually use the "Sunset/Evening Shooting Mode" to capture portrait pictures outdoors in the evening with the brightness, colors and contrast are well-adjusted.

Tip No. 4: Dress your subject

Based on the well-known quote - "Clothes make the man"; in this case, your subject's appearance can be enhanced with pleasant-looking attires. If you want to make your subject looks elegant - for instance, wearing a matching business suit can make your portrait picture look formal. In contrast, you can have your subjects to wear sports apparels (including baseball cap, sports jacket, jerseys) that would create a perfect athletic impression as well as develop a refreshing view of your subjects' faces.

For more photography portrait tips, visit CanonCompactCameras.com for more effective tips and guides on how to take professional photographs. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Wan_Tze_Lee

Use PHP and MySQL to Create Dynamic Web Sites

By Jon R. Allen

PHP and MySQL work together to help you do what seems like magical things with Web sites. Long ago, way back in the 1994 dark ages of the Internet, a very good thing happened. A genius named Rasmus Lerdorf wanted a way to track how many visitors came to his online resume. So, to count the number of his online resume visitors, Lerdorf created PHP. At that time, PHP stood for Personal Home Page.

Today counting site visitors is something we take for granted, as there are many tools and gizmos available for this common analytic. However, back in 1994 when the Internet was still new, what Rasmus Lerdorf did with his PHP visitor counter was important and new to Web site development. Lerdorf's PHP would go on to become a very, very powerful and popular web development language. PHP is a rich language for dynamic web development, it has many commands and functions that can perform many different site operations.

PHP is now known as PHP: Hypertext Preprocessor. So what does that mouthful mean? The official PHP Web site (php.net) defines PHP this way;

PHP is a widely-used general-purpose scripting language that is especially suited for Web development and can be embedded into HTML.

PHP is a server-side scripting language designed for use on the Web. This means you can put (or embed) PHP code into an HTML (Hyper Text Markup Language, it's the code that makes up web pages) web page. Each time the web page is displayed in a browser, the PHP code will run at the web page's host (PHP runs at the web page's server) and generate output to the web page which is then shown on the viewer's (or client's) browser. Often the generated output shown on a web page by PHP code comes from a database. PHP is very good at interacting with MySQL databases, PHP is often used with the MySQL database management system.

A web developer using PHP will include PHP script/code within the XHTML/HTML code of a web page. The PHP script/code can do many things that make a Web site dynamic, rather than static. A dynamic Web site can change its content, it can change what information is shown to a visitor. A dynamic Web site will usually be powered in the background by a database, such as an MySQL database.

An example of a dynamic Web site would be one where visitors can view, search, and add recipes to an online database, and then display various recipes by calling them up from the database during a search operation. This is all done by the dynamically developed Web site interacting with a visitor. In contrast, a static recipe site would require a web developer to hand-code a new web page for each new recipe added by a visitor.

Blogs are often powered by the WordPress blogging platform, and WordPress uses PHP and an MySQL database to display the content shown in your typical blog. A blog is often updated and changed by adding new posts, which means new data is added to the database powering the blog. Each new post to a blog changes what information is shown, or can be shown, to a visitor.

Updating a dynamic PHP and MySQL developed site is as easy as entering new contents to a database, like when you add a post to a blog. With a dynamic site, no web pages need to be laboriously coded by hand. Dynamic Web sites are easier to maintain, upgrade, and build on than static sites. In contrast, a static Web site requires a Web developer to hand-code each and every web page that has content changes.

Author Information

I'm Jon R. Allen and I have a blog to help you learn more about creating effective blogs and Web sites. Please visit my blog at: http://www.wordpressblogsandwebsites.com. My goal is to provide information and answers to the questions and problems people have when they begin or manage a Web site or blog powered by WordPress, or by XHTML/HTML.

I hope you found my article informative and useful. Thank you for stopping by.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jon_R._Allen

Benefits of Using a Self Hosted Blog to Make Money Online

By Mike Gate

Many bloggers started somewhere but it is always advisable to be decisive in making the choice of the blog type one would use. There are two types of blog; the paid versions such as the self hosted blogs or the free versions such as the one you get from blogger.com. It is true that you can really create some god stuff from blogger.com blogs and get your posts easily published online but there are some limitations with these free types of blogs.

It is important to self host your blog, such as the one you have from wordpress.org. In this case, you have to register a domain name and create your unique blog on it without it having any prefix or any name after it. The self hosted blogs maybe used for branding purposes, search engine optimization purposes, personal journal update or any other writing routines you find necessary but the point remains that it is much better than the free versions.

Registering your domain name is quite simple because all you have to do is just get to the domain registrar and choose any name you deem fit. There are lots of domain registrars online such as GoDaddy.com and lots of others. The moment you succeeded in registering the domain name, you just follow the simple steps provided by the self hosting blog to set up your blog and program your domain name on it. This is quite simple and can be completed in 15 minutes or less even if you are very new to the internet.

Some newbies started blogging on blogger.com and may want to migrate to self hosted blogging in the near future. There is absolutely no cause for worries because it doesn't take much to have a self hosted blog. Just register a domain name as we had mentioned above and transfer the content of your blogger.com to your new self hosted blog. It is important to point out that there are lots of difference between self hosted blog and a free blogger. If you are using the blog for branding purposes, your clients or customers may start seeing you as 'unserious' if they have to see a yourblogname.blogspot.com as your blog name. This isn't the best option for you since the paid or self hosted costs little or nothing to set up.

We are assuming that you start blogging with the blogger.com blog account and want to change to self hosted blog at moment. It is quite easy to and be sure that you can easily transfer the entire content you have at your blogger.com account to your new blog. There is not going to any serious negative impact it would have on your page ranking because the slight drop that may be noticed would definitely be for a little time such as 24 hours.

It is an undeniable fact that blogging with a self hosted blog is far better than that of blogger.com because the former gives you room to do absolutely whatever you want with it and you are free to choose any domain name you like as long as such name is still available. It will help you more in your money making blogging.

Mike Gate is an online marketer. He has a deep knowledge in SEO, Article Marketing and in PPC. He uses and recommend Hostgator to host web sites. You can visit his web site to get hostgator coupon.

You can host your web site for just 1 cent/month using hostgator coupons for the first month. You will also find other information about hostgator on his web site.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mike_Gate

Image Processing - How Image Cropping and Resizing Has Been Done

By Thakar Upen

On the Internet, there is lot of image resizing and image cropping web applications are available which are useful to make quality and accurate images or photos. Among the thousand of resources, only select right source which provide the best result of image re sized and cropping services.

Some image cropping expertise requires photo editing, resizing, cropping, clipping and other image related services and also enable to searching new tools and aware of the customized method of online image processing.

List of image processing services which are generally available in market:

• Photo Cropping Services
• Image Capture
• Photo Storage and Retrieval
• Image Entry Services
• Image Editing Services
• Photo Clipping Services.
• Photo filtering

A powerful Photo shop is a wonderful tool for graphic design, web development and any other form of digital media creation. One of the core technologies which are known as digital photo process involves wide range of image processing solution. Photo cropping specialist enable to design and develop special purpose image process algorithms, thus improving quality and enhancing the utilization of imagery for a wide range of clients.

Looking for the quality online image cropping and resizing solution which is useful for people who are demanding these types of task with best output of quality services. To select appropriate photo editor specialist, you have to require outsource your requirements of image process.

Advantages of Image Processing Outsourcing:
• Maximize quality
• Increase productivity
• Simplify photo process
• Eliminate errors
• Dynamically manage digital phpto
• Deployable on multiple platforms including the web

The advance photo processing techniques can include image assessment, filtering, prioritization, change detection, 2D and 3D visualization, automated feature extraction, and automated quality assessment.

Data Entry Outsourcing is one of the final destinations for best image editing, cropping, resizing and other processing on image solution. We have professional having enough experienced and expertise in image processing services.

Data entry outsourcing is an equal employment opportunity provider. We are dedicated to ensure the welfare of our employees. For more details data entry work, Contact us at: Data Entry

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Thakar_Upen

Pakistan Resolution 23 March 1940

taken from : http://www.zimbio.com/Muhammad+Ali+Jinnah/articles/7gjemQZ-oPs/March+23+1940+Pakistan+Resolution

From March 22 to March 24, 1940, the All India Muslim League held its annual session at Minto Park, Lahore. This session proved to be historical.

On the first day of the session, Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah narrated the events of the last few months. In an extempore speech he presented his own solution of the Muslim problem. He said that the problem of India was not of an inter-communal nature, but manifestly an international one and must be treated as such. To him the differences between Hindus and the Muslims were so great and so sharp that their union under one central government was full of serious risks. They belonged to two separate and distinct nations and therefore the only chance open was to allow them to have separate states.

Minar-i-Pakistan, Lahore, the landmark where the historic Pakistan Resolution was passed

In the words of Quaid-i-Azam: “Hindus and the Muslims belong to two different religions, philosophies, social customs and literature. They neither inter-marry nor inter-dine and, indeed, they belong to two different civilizations that are based mainly on conflicting ideas and conceptions. Their concepts on life and of life are different. It is quite clear that Hindus and Muslims derive their inspiration from different sources of history. They have different epics, different heroes and different episodes. Very often the hero of one is a foe of the other, and likewise, their victories and defeats overlap. To yoke together two such nations under a single state, one as a numerical minority and the other as a majority, must lead to growing discontent and final destruction of any fabric that may be so built up for the government of such a state”.

At the All India Muslim League Working Committee, Lahore session, March 1940

He further said, “Mussalmans are a nation according to any definition of nation. We wish our people to develop to the fullest spiritual, cultural, economic, social and political life in a way that we think best and in consonance with our own ideals and according to the genius of our people”.

On the basis of the above mentioned ideas of the Quaid, A. K. Fazl-ul-Haq, the then Chief Minister of Bengal, moved the historical resolution which has since come to be known as Lahore Resolution or Pakistan Resolution.

At the All India Muslim League session, March 1940, Nawab Sir Shah Nawaz Mamdot presenting address of welcome

The Resolution declared: “No constitutional plan would be workable or acceptable to the Muslims unless geographical contiguous units are demarcated into regions which should be so constituted with such territorial readjustments as may be necessary. That the areas in which the Muslims are numerically in majority as in the North-Western and Eastern zones of India should be grouped to constitute independent states in which the constituent units shall be autonomous and sovereign”.

Quaid-i-Azam is presiding over the session while Chaudhry Khaliquzzaman is seconding the Resolution

It further reads, “That adequate, effective and mandatory safeguards shall be specifically provided in the constitution for minorities in the units and in the regions for the protection of their religious, cultural, economic, political, administrative and other rights of the minorities, with their consultation. Arrangements thus should be made for the security of Muslims where they were in a minority”.

Quaid-i-Azam, Liaquat Ali Khan and Nawab Muhammad Iftikhar Hussain Khan of Mamdot at the Lahore Session, March 1940

The Resolution repudiated the concept of United India and recommended the creation of an independent Muslim state consisting of Punjab, N. W. F. P., Sindh and Baluchistan in the northwest, and Bengal and Assam in the northeast. The Resolution was seconded by Maulana Zafar Ali Khan from Punjab, Sardar Aurangzeb from the N. W. F. P., Sir Abdullah Haroon from Sindh, and Qazi Esa from Baluchistan, along with many others.

The Resolution was passed on March 24. It laid down only the principles, with the details left to be worked out at a future date. It was made a part of the All India Muslim League’s constitution in 1941. It was on the basis of this resolution that in 1946 the Muslim League decided to go for one state for the Muslims, instead of two.

Pakistan as visualized by Chaudhry Rahmat Ali

Having passed the Pakistan Resolution, the Muslims of India changed their ultimate goal. Instead of seeking alliance with the Hindu community, they set out on a path whose destination was a separate homeland for the Muslims of India.

Green Tea and Weight Loss - Using Green Tea For Weight Loss

By Phil S Hansen

It seems that there has been an increase in the quantity of herbal products hitting the market lately, and among them, Green Tea (GT) has been in high demand. A large variety of individuals have enjoyed the variety of advantages that green tea provides for you health, however the fact is, that green tea can also be utilized as a weight loss aid. You may not be aware that you can enhance your body's ability to burn calories by consuming herbal tea. Remember that the tea isn't going to burn fat for you, it's simply a tool to help your body burn the fat (burn calories), and hopefully to allow you to reach the weight loss you would like to achieve.

Let's take a look at green tea

GT is derived from the same plant as black tea (Camellia Sinensis). It's the difference in the fermentation and preparation of the leaves, that increases the advantages received from herbal tea. Portions of the active compounds are destroyed in black tea, nevertheless remain active in the green variety. Through those active compounds, fat storage is decreased, and the loss of stored fat is sped up, creating a large influence on the fat in the body.

Why Green Tea affects Weight Loss

GT contains vitamins, minerals and caffeine, however, the primary constituents of interest are the polyphenols, particularly a catechin called epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG). This catechin has been shown in a trial at the University of Geneva, to speed up the rate at which stored fat is burned for energy by over 30%. It has been established that weight loss will be sped up, and waist size will be decreased, through the use of GT supplementation for three month, and no exercise, or diet modification at all. Studies for instance these have suggested that as well as boosting the metabolic rate, green tea extract can help to block the absorption of fat. So, this means that green tea extract assists in the loss of your current fat stores, and also hinders fat digestion, and prevents your thighs, waist, and hips from storing it.

Advantages of Green Tea

There are additional advantages to consuming GT! The high content of polyphenol in herbal tea, is attributed with helping to reduce cholesterol, decreasing fat build up in the liver, and providing extra protection against cardiovascular disease. We frequently hear that the high level of antioxidants in regular tea, is really beneficial to our health, and since herbal tea contains 6 times the amount of antioxidants located in black tea, it's no wonder that green tea can offer even more advantages to our health.

How much do I need

In order to consume enough GT to equal the amounts used in the research research, which yielded the evidenced antioxidant positive aspects, you would need to drink a minimum of 10 cups each day. Before you rush to brew up, also consider that the evidence linking this tea to fat loss was gained in research utilizing GT extract rather than tea itself. The extract provides a higher concentration of EGCG, perfectly patterned to 90% polyphenols, which may bring concerning the most effective results. You will find that Resveratrol Select is a highly productive product containing green tea extract, and you can now try this product absolutely FREE.

Related Article: Green Tea Diet Pills.
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Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Phil_S_Hansen

How to Make French Toast

By Doug M Stewart

French toast is a very flexible recipe. There are hundreds of different variations and it can be:

• Fried or baked
• Prepared and served immediately, or prepared in advance and stored overnight
• Depending on the ingredients (e.g. savory or sweet), it is suitable for breakfast, a main meal or dessert

This article provides an overview of the different recipes and describes how to make French toast. It also discusses the history of this recipe and interesting trivia. Although there are many different recipes, the basic steps and ingredients are:

• Slices of bread (preferably slightly stale bread)
• A mixture of egg and milk, in which the bread is soaked. Some of the richer recipes will use cream as well.
• Sugar and/or spices. Depending on the recipe, these may be added during preparation or may be added after cooking. Maple syrup is a popular substitute for sugar, especially in Canada and the USA. Common spices include nutmeg, vanilla and cinnamon.
• Fry or bake the soaked bread, depending on the recipe.

The origin of French toast is uncertain but recipes dating back to the sixteenth century are documented. The recipe is European in origin, but not necessarily French as variations are found in many European countries but it is now unknown which country was originally the creator. In fact, given the basic and common nature of the ingredients, along with the simplicity of the preparation, it is very possible that it was independently developed in a number of different countries. Nor is the name a clue to its origin, as it goes by different names in different countries. In English-speaking countries, it is known as "French toast", reputedly the name given to it during the hundred-years war by English soldiers serving in France, who frequently had little else to eat (although this explanation is not definitively proven). Prior to the hundred-years war, it was known in England as "Poor Knight's Pudding" or "Poor Knight's of Windsor", perhaps because it would have been a basic but affordable dish for a Knight with little money. In other countries, this recipe goes by different names. In France, it was called "pain perdu" (lost bread), as it was a way of using bread that had gone stale and would otherwise perhaps be thrown away (in other words, lost bread). A similar pattern is to be found in Finland, where the basic recipe was called "köyhät ritarit" (poor knight's) but if sugar and jam were added (relatively expensive ingredients at the time) it was called "rikkaat ritarit" (rich knight's).

In America there were a number of names for the recipe, but it was perhaps most commonly known as "German Toast" prior to World War I. However, anti-German sentiment at that time resulted in it being renamed to "French Toast". Since 2003 the anti-French sentiment in parts of the USA resulting from opposing positions over the Iraq war has resulted in it being renamed to "Freedom Toast" in the White House, US Congress and some restaurants. At about the same time these institutions also renamed "French Fries" to "Freedom Fries".

Several different recipes and further information on French toast is provided at How to Make French Toast. Following is a typical recipe:

Ingredients (for 4 people):

• 12 slices of bread (thick cut). Slightly stale bread is better as it will absorb the batter mixture better. If you don't have stale bread, you can leave sliced fresh bread out for a while to allow it to dry a bit.
• 6 eggs
• 3/4 cup of milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Preparation

• Beat the eggs
• Add the milk, vanilla and cinnamon. Mix with the beaten eggs.
• Soak the bread slices in the mixture.
• Fry the soaked bread on one side until golden brown, then turn and fry until the other side is golden brown. Either use a non-stick pan, or add butter to an ordinary fry pan, to avoid the French toast sticking to the pan.
• Serve.
  
  Depending on individual tastes, one can sprinkle sugar or add maple syrup on top.

One can easily change the above recipe by using different spices (e.g. nutmeg) during preparation or providing different toppings (e.g. jam) which the diners can add. It can be made richer by using some cream, or more suited for a main meal by providing non-sweet toppings. Finally, there are a number of versions of this recipe which are based on baking rather than frying. Click on the link above for examples.

French Food is a resource for people looking for easy French recipes, or wanting to know more about French food and the nature of French cuisine.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Doug_M_Stewart