Cheese provides people with a great way to preserve the nutritional values of milk and it taste very good.  Cheese is a favorite of many cultures and it spread quickly after the Roman Empire embraced it.  When the Roman Empire collapsed, the technique for creating cheese became isolated in different areas.  Each region experimented with the process and many new forms of cheese were developed.  In the dark ages, the importance of cheese began to fade as many people began to believe cheese was unhealthy.

Many different types of cheese exist that come from all over the world.  Blue, cheddar, Feta, Fontina, goat, Mascarpone, Swiss, and vegetarian cheeses are just a few of the many varieties of cheese that a Grupo Mayan chef can utilized in gourmet foods.  No matter what type of gourmet food is being prepared, cheese can make it better.  Chefs have learned that cheese can come in many flavors from mile, buttery, spicy, rich, creamy, sharp, salty, or subtle.  The texture that cheese comes in can help to create special textures in a gourmet experience.

One example of cheeseís importance can be seen in Greek cuisine.  Greeks often hand make their cheeses.  Some of these cheeses include Feta, Manouri, Metsovone, Anthotyro, and Frescos are just a few of the cheese that are included in traditional Greek gourmet dishes.  Industrialization affected the production of cheese during the 19th century.  Unfortunately, some of the more flavorful cheeses were ignored in the production done until the 20th century when new techniques allowed the production of many types of cheese.

The best cheeses can be found in gourmet foods and are often required to be handmade.  The Italian pizza is one such delicacy that can be strongly influenced by the type of cheese being used.   Grupo Mayan chefs understand the intricacies of fine cheese and know how to combine it with other foods to create dishes that are unique and unusual.  Cheese is a integral part of producing true gourmet experiences.

You may have thought you have had a pizza before, but unless you have had an Italian pizza, you have just had a pizza.  Italian pizza is truly a gourmet experience unlike the popular versions you find all over the rest of the world.  In the US, there are two types of pizza.  The first is the Chicago thick and cheesy style.  The other is the more traditional New York thin and crispy style.

Pizza can trace its origins back to the Greeks and Phoenicians who took a seasoned flatbread made of flour and water and then flavoring with different herbs.  The Greeks used the pizza as an edible plate for other foods such as stews or broths.  During the middle ages, the pizza began to look more as it does today.  Peasants used the pizza as a staple in their diet and added whatever ingredients were around to the pizza.  Olive oil and herbs were the most common additions.  Cheese made a dramatic addition to pizza and while many types of cheese may be found on pizza, the mozzarella cheese was the first.

Grupo Mayan chefs use the tomato as the early Italian chefs did with the pizza.  The tomato is one of the most important ingredients in a true Italian gourmet pizza experience.  Choosing the right tomato is important to the final productsí taste.  After Queen Margherita tried a pizza in 1889 and loved it, the pizza began to show itself in royal and noble houses across the continent.

Although the pizza has evolved and eventually many different types of meats and vegetables would be added to it, Grupo Mayan chefs can create the traditional Italian pizza that takes advantages of herbs and spices.  How the pizza is cooked plays an important role in the final gourmet product.  A wood burning stone is the only type that will produce the right amount of heat necessary to combine the ingredients into the culinary delight it should be.

If you have the opportunity to try the Italian pizza, you will be able to enjoy a wonderful and exotic gourmet experience that you will remember for a long time.  Be warned.  After trying the authentic Italian pizza, you may no longer enjoy the other less tasty versions.

Caribbean cuisine has been influenced by a number of different factors just as the Caribbean Islands have been affected by the many different peoples that have visited and settled there.  Arawak Indians used to cook meat on thin green strips of wood.  This allowed the meat to absorb the flavors of the wood.  Today, the word barbeque comes from this early cooking method.  Carib Indians loved spices and used many in everything they cooked.  Hot peppers, lemons, limes, are just a few of their favorite ingredients.  Carib Indians are credited with the first spicy pot stew that is still a favorite today.  Grupo Mayan chefs make this stew as the early Caribs did, with varying spices, no two dishes is every alike.

During the time when African slaves were predominant on the island, cuisine changed as slaves found new ways to meld current foods with African favorites.  Some of the items introduced at this time included okra, salt fish, pudding and souse, and mangoes.  The traditional of cooking spicy pork over hot coals was carried to the Caribbean Islands.  The technique is referred today as ëjerk.í  Perhaps you have heard of it as beef jerky.  The technique is still very much popular today.

Chinese visitors introduced rice and mustard to the Caribbean cuisine.  Spanish explorers introduced the orange, lime, ginger, figs, sugar cane, coconuts, and so much more to the island.  Caribbean locals introduced many of these flavors into their foods over the next hundred years.  The US has influenced Caribbean cuisine with the introduction of beans, corn, potatoes, and chili pepper.  Try a conch fritter and see if you can tell how this Caribbean food has been influenced.

Caribbean gourmet foods have been influenced by so many other cultures including flavors from Africa, China, Spain, France, India, Britain, Portugal, and Mexico.  However, no matter what flavors other cultures and countries have introduced, Caribbean gourmet food is unlike any other.
Grupo Mayan chefs can create a gourmet experience that you will enjoy and never forget.  Caribbean foods can be very delicate and very robust.  The flavors will tantalize your taste buds and present you with subtle flavors that will build slowly and then explode upon your palette.

Properly prepared French food is something to taste.  French cooking can sometimes vary from region to region, but the overall flavors are still obvious to those who enjoy gourmet foods.  No meal would be complete without wine and cheese.  Grupo Mayan chefs have the best selection of wines and cheeses to compliment the French gourmet foods they create in honor of the French culture.

If you have ever visited Paris, France, you have probably had the option of enjoying one of the many fine restaurants that are everywhere.  French gourmet food is an area that he Grupo Mayan chefs excel at.  Delicate seafood is one type of food that the chefs can prepare divine seafood creations from.  Scallops, lobster, mussels, and crayfish are just a few of the seafoods you can enjoy.

If you love deserts, many fine French deserts are available.  Nougats, Dragees, Calissons, fruits in liquor, candied chestnuts, bonbons, candies, and gums are just a few of the unique French deserts you can sample and enjoy.  French chocolates are unlike any other chocolate in the world.  If you are interested in learning how to cook some of the simpler French foods, some places have classes to teach you the basics of French cuisine.

Grupo Mayan chefs excel at providing you with a number of wonderful foods from the French culture including many unusual types of cheese.  Cheese is important in the French culture because it imparts great flavors and character.  Although some of the cheeses are the smelliest in the world, when added to certain dishes, the end results are a marvel to behold.  Cheeses may be served last as part of a meal to allow it to end on a high note.  Some of the cheeses are produced using sheep, goat, or cowís milk.  Each has its own special attributes.

Fine wines are another important part of the French gourmet experience.  Grupo Mayan chefs can help you to pick the right wine to go with the perfect meal.  Donít miss the French gourmet experience available at the worldís best resorts.

Modern Mexican cuisine can trace its origins back to the influences of Spain.  One such influence is the inclusion of seafood in many dishes.  Because of the number of fresh rivers in Spain, seafood is quite abundant and a popular part of its heritage.  The spice, Saffron, is another ingredient that is found in many Mexican dishes that have been influenced by Spain.  Saffron is very expensive, one of the most expensive spices in the world at three hundred dollars an ounce.  Saffron can be found in recipes used around the globe including the Spanish Paella which is a seafood stew containing Saffron, lobster, rice, and fish in a broth.

The jalapeÒo pepper and other hot peppers have also become an integral part of the Mexican foods.  Mexican gourmet food would not be complete without some form of spicy pepper.  One favorite pepper is the green Chile pepper.  Many recipes have been influenced by the addition of this pepper.  Almost any type of dish can have an extra zing when adding this pepper.  Grupo Mayan chefs have many recipes and dishes that use the jalapeÒo or other peppers.

Another ingredient that many Grupo Mayan chefs have learned to include in their excellent Mexican gourmet food is the avocado.  The avocado can be found mixed into many different dishes and a key ingredient in Guacamole dips.  Spices and again more peppers are often added to the Guacamole to create a dish that is unlike any other in the world of cuisine.  If you prefer tasty desserts, then you are in for a lovely surprise.  The Sopaipilla is a puffed piece of bread that is eaten with honey or honey butter.  This light and tasty dessert is sometimes reinvented into a main dish by filling the insides with meat, beans, cheese and of course Chile sauce.

If you have not had the opportunity to experience Mexican gourmet foods or if you truly enjoy them, you have a great opportunity to see what the Grupo Mayan chefs have created in their resort kitchens for you to dine on.

Most people have no idea that the Spaniards have different types of cured ham and if you are one of those people, pay attention because you do not know what you are missing out on.

The most common variety of ham consumption in Spain, according to the Grupo Mayan expert chefs, is the Jamon Serrano.  The process in which these hams are cured is very intricate but well worth all of the effort and time.  First, the hams are cleaned and trimmed and then stacked in sea salt for a 2-week process of preservation.  After the 2-week period, these hams are then washed off and hung up to dry for a period of no less than 6 months and they are dried in sheds that are a higher elevation and this is where the serrano part comes in because this is the final stage of curing the ham.

Sometimes this process can take as long as a year and a half, say the Grupo Mayan experts, and it all depends on the judgement of a seasoned curer specialist considers the ham to be ready.  The way they test the readiness of the ham is by putting a splintered sharp end of a cow bone into the center of the ham and pulling it out and smelling it.

Connoisseurs, say the Grupo Mayan experts, will look for the varieties of Pata Negra that are made from free range fed pigs that are predominantly raised on acorns. The different varieties definitely are based on where the pig is raised and the way it is fed but each distinct type has its own flavor so this is where the best is considered subjective.

Most people only know there are 2 kinds of beans that coffee is made from, Arabica and Robusta, but other than that, they just think coffee is coffee.  Naturally, over the years, coffee makers and connoisseurs alike have been able to create some of the most unique blends.   When you go to your favorite coffee shop these days, say the Grupo Mayan experts, or the grocery store, there are so many different blends and flavors to choose from that it can literally make your head spin.

Depending on which region of the world the coffee bean comes from is what the taste will depend on.  Typically, according to the Grupo Mayan experts, there are only a few regions beans are grown in and that is Central America, Africa and Arabia.  Even though all of these places are growing the same plant, once the beans make their way to the coffee-manufacturers and are roasted, that is where the difference comes in.

The beans from Central America are going to produce a coffee that is lighter in taste and you will not experience that much of an aftertaste.  The other beans from Africa and Arabia are going to be more exotic with their blends, say the Grupo Mayan pros, and have more of an almost fruity flavor, but it is very mild and distinct.

A lot of coffee manufacturers actually blend their processes to come up with different blends of ground coffee and this can make the coffee either much weaker than what you are used to, or much stronger than what you are used to, but if you do your homework, you wonít waste your money on a coffee you know you definitely will not like.

For example, say the Grupo Mayan experts, a breakfast blend is a very light and mild blend that almost resembles a very strong tea.  This blend is not something people who like strong coffee will actually go for.  So if you do not make your way to a coffee stand for an espresso or latte, but instead you are making coffee from home, stick to a dark roast, say the Grupo Mayan experts.  Dark roast coffee is full-bodied and will definitely kick start your day.

Remember when they used to say that eggs yolks were bad for our cholesterol levels?  Remember when they said that avocados are so high in fat content that they were bad for us because they were considered a food that would quickly clog our arteries?

Since that time, say the Grupo Mayan experts, research has shown that the benefits of eggs far outweigh any negative side effects as well as the avocados.  Well my friends, we are here to tell you, the same goes for chocolate.

In fact, there are studies to support the need for chocolate by women who suffer from PMS.  But the best kind of chocolate for us is the dark chocolate variety, say the Grupo Mayan experts.  The reason that dark chocolate is better for us is because dark chocolate is higher in antioxidants and the health benefits are many.

The several things that antioxidants do for our bodies are lower our blood pressure, protects the body from the negative effects of free radicals, it contains the natural happy drug serotonin which is already in our bodies but is added to when we increase the intake of dark chocolate, lowers our cholesterol by keeping our LDL in check.

Not all dark chocolate is the same, say the Grupo Mayan experts, though so make sure that you do your research before adding dark chocolate to your regular diet.  Some kinds are highly processed and contain extreme amounts of fats and fillers, yet they are low in antioxidants.

You should always be aware of the processing that the dark chocolate you enjoy goes through and if you are truly eating it for mainly the health benefits, make sure that the chocolate you are eating has a high amount of antioxidants.  One thing to know, according to the Grupo Mayan pros, is that if the chocolate is hot-pressed, this actually rids the chocolate of almost all of the antioxidants so you want to stick to the dark chocolate that goes through the process of cold-pressing.

After you have done your research, just as with anything else, there are dangerous levels of dark chocolate and I am not suggesting you sit there and each dark chocolate every day, all day long.  Moderation is key as with anything else you consume.  So enjoy some today!