Queen Elizabeth National Park Safari – A Feast For All Senses

t’s no idle boast that British Prime Minister Winston Churchill christened Uganda the “The Pearl of Africa.” When it comes to wildlife conservation and eco-tourism, Uganda does command outstanding respect. However, a visit to the country cannot be complete if some time is not set aside to visit Queen Elizabeth National Park.
The park can be reached from Kampala either by air or road. From Kampala, the park can be approached from the south via Mbarara (420 km) or the north passing through Fort Portal (410 km). Three airstrips serve Queen Elizabeth National Park and these include Ishasha, Mweya and Kasese airfield.

This 2,056 square kilometre park was established in 1952 when the two game reserves of Lake George and Edward were merged into Kazinga National Park. Two years later it was renamed Queen Elizabeth National Park when Queen Elizabeth II of England visited Uganda.
It is one of the oldest national parks in Uganda and is designated as a Biosphere Reserve for Humanity under the auspices of UNESCO. Together with Kyambura and Kigezi wildlife reserves, the park forms one of the most diverse eco-systems in Africa.
Queen Elizabeth National Park is really enticing. Take time off and visit it. Visit with your family or that special person in your life, but go prepared to fall in love all over again for the park is blessed with spectacular scenery and attractions to fill one action packed holiday and still leave scores of other experiences to be enjoyed on a return trip.

The low attitude and its location directly on the equator mean that the temperatures can be warm, rising from a mean minimum 18ºC to mean maximum of 28ºC. The park receives up to 1250mm of rain mostly from March to May and September to November. The melting glacier waters of the Rwenzori Mountains create a vast wetland system comprising of two main lakes George and Edward. Edward was named by the explorer Henry Morton Stanley after the Prince of Wales, later King Edward VII.
The two lakes are connected by a 40km long channel whose shorelines are populated by thousands of hippos and birds all year round.
This park is a paradise for dedicated ornithologists as well as the novice bird watcher. The bird list is 612 species including the rare Shoe Bill, the Martial Eagle, Papyrus Gonolek, White tailed lark, Verraux’s Eagle Owl and the Lesser and Greater Flamingos.
The park is an ultimate feast for all senses. There are over 95 mammalian and hundreds of butterfly species. Activities like the launch cruise along Kazinga Channel will offer you a unique unequaled wildlife experience. It puts one right in the heart of nature where many Hippos nest in the water while big herds of elephants can be seen enjoying themselves along the channel banks.
Many who experience it consider it the highlight of their entire African safari. The launch cruise schedules run in the morning and afternoon. The open savannah dotted with Acacia and Euphorbia trees provides habitat for lions, leopards, buffalos and Uganda kobs. Among the many other animals seen frequently are the water bucks, giant forest hog, hyenas and topi.
Networked by over 200 kilometres of well maintained tracks, the visitors get access to the park’s game as some of the tracks pass through large mating grounds of the Uganda kob.
The Kasenyi sector on the east side of Kasese road is best known for lions which prey on large populations of the Uganda kob while the famous tree climbing lions can be spotted on large fig trees in the Ishasha sector which is 100 km south of the Mweya Penisular.
Another principal feature of the park is Kyambura Gorge. This steep gorge was formed by turbulent waters of the roaring Kyambura River. It provides a lush riverine forest that is home to chimpanzees, red tailed monkeys, black and white Columbus monkeys, olive baboons and other primates.
The park also has one of Uganda’s largest tracts of tropical forest – Maramagambo forest which translates as “the forest beyond description”. This forest stretches from the foot of the Kichwamba escarpment to Lake Edward. Pythons are often observed in the crevices of the bat cave floor using the bats as a source of food.

The cave is near the copper rich blue lake and hunters’ cave. Beautiful crater lakes are spread throughout the park, the most notable being the Katwe explosion craters.
This cluster of extinct volcanoes north of Mweya peninsula can be explored by the winding 27km crater drive between the main and equator gates which provide superb views into the numerous craters.
As Christmas is getting closer, I recommend Buffalo Safari Resort, located in Katunguru, Queen Elizabeth National Park, overlooking Lake Rubirizi which is not only a jungle safari resort with a touch of class but it’s also a sanctuary for birds and other animals particularly the buffalo that come to drink.
If you are looking for a vacation get away, a romantic weekend, Buffalo Safari Resort will surely provide you with an extraordinary experience!
Other budget and up market facilities are also available in the park and could be good options for families but also for free independent travelers.
Queen Elizabeth National Park is truly amazing – take your camera, for you will want to record all the wonders you will see!

Mandela Death: Day Of Prayer In South Africa

People in South Africa are taking part in a day of “prayer and reflection” for late President Nelson Mandela. President Jacob Zuma will attend a service in a Methodist church in Johannesburg, with other multi-faith services planned throughout the day. A national memorial service will be held on Tuesday, ahead of a state funeral on […]

ECLIPSE ECLIPSE ALL OVER.....

TRUE ECLIPSE TAKEN PIC FROM UGANDA

TRUE ECLIPSE TAKEN PIC FROM UGANDA

Eclipse Uganda/ pakwach

my dear frnds its been long but you can try to checkout this Eclipse from my country Uganda..
these are the few pics i happened to take

How To Make Brown Stock

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The procedure for making brown stock differs from that of white stock mainly in that instead of blanching the bones beforehand, they are roasted instead.

Roasting brings out more color and flavor. The mirepoix is roasted too, for the same reason.

Also, some sort of tomato product is used with brown stocks, again for adding color and flavor, but also because the acid in the tomato helps dissolve the connective tissues in the bones, thus aiding in the formation of gelatin.Difficulty: Average

Time Required: 5-7 hours

Here's How:

1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
2. Place beef or veal bones in a heavy bottomed roasting pan. Drizzle them with a bit of vegetable oil if you like.
3. Roast bones for about half an hour.
4. Add mirepoix to the roasting pan and continue roasting for another half an hour. Toward the end of the roasting, add the tomato product.
5. When the bones are thoroughly browned, remove the roasting pan from the oven and transfer the bones to a heavy-bottomed stockpot.
6. Add enough cold water to the pot to completely cover the bones. Figure about a quart of water for each pound of bones.
7. Bring pot to a boil, then immediately lower the heat to a simmer.
8. Skim off the scum that rises to the surface.
9. Add the roasted mirepoix to the pot along with a sachet d'epices; tie the sachet string to the stockpot handle for easy retrieval later.
10. Continue to simmer the stock and skim the impurities that rise to the surface. Liquid will evaporate, so make sure there's always enough water to cover the bones.
11. After anywhere from 4 to 6 hours, once the stock has developed a rich, brown color, remove the pot from the heat.
12. Strain the stock through a sieve lined with a few layers of cheesecloth. Cool the stock quickly, using an ice bath if necessary.

Tips:

1. The best bones to use for making stock are ones with a lot of cartilage, such as the so-called "knuckle" bones in the various leg joints. The bones of younger animals also have more cartilage, which is why veal bones are so desirable.
2. Always start with cold water when making stock. It will help extract more collagen from the bones, which will produce a stock with more body.
3. Don't let the stock boil, but rather, keep it at a gentle simmer. Also, don't stir the stock while it simmers. Just let it do its thing. All you need to worry about is skimming the scum off the top, and possibly adding more water if the liquid level drops too low.

What You Need

• Beef or veal bones
• Heavy-bottomed roasting pan
• Heavy-bottomed stockpot
• Tomato product such as puree or paste
• Mirepoix
• Sachet
• Mesh strainer
• Cheesecloth
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How To Make White Stock

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The procedure for making white stock differs from that of brown stock mainly in that rather than roasting the bones beforehand, they are blanched instead. Blanching helps get rid of the impurities in the bones that can cloud the stock.

Note that a white stock can be made using chicken bones, veal bones or beef bones.Difficulty: Average

Time Required: 4-6 hours

Here's How:

1. Rinse bones in cold water.
2. Transfer the bones to a heavy-bottomed stockpot.
3. Add enough cold water to the pot to completely cover the bones. Figure about a quart of water for each pound of bones.
4. Bring pot to a boil.
5. Drain and rinse bones.
6. Return the blanched bones to the pot and again cover with fresh, cold water.
7. Bring pot to a boil, then immediately lower the heat to a simmer.
8. Skim off the scum that rises to the surface.
9. Add chopped carrots, celery and onion, (also called mirepoix) to the pot along with a sachet d'epices; tie the sachet string to the stockpot handle for easy retrieval later.
10. Continue to simmer the stock and skim the impurities that rise to the surface. Liquid will evaporate, so make sure there's always enough water to cover the bones.
11. After 4 to 6 hours, remove the pot from the heat.
12. Strain the stock through a sieve lined with a few layers of cheesecloth. Cool the stock quickly, using an ice bath if necessary.

Tips:

1. The best bones to use for making stock are ones with a lot of cartilage, such as the so-called "knuckle" bones in the various leg joints. The bones of younger animals also have more cartilage, which is why veal bones are so desirable.
2. Always start with cold water when making stock. It will help extract more collagen from the bones, which will produce a stock with more body.
3. Don't let the stock boil, but rather, keep it at a gentle simmer. Also, don't stir the stock while it simmers. Just let it do its thing. All you need to worry about is skimming the scum off the top, and possibly adding more water if the liquid level drops too low.

What You Need

• Beef, veal or chicken bones
• Heavy-bottomed stockpot
• Carrots, celery and onion
• Sachet
• Mesh strainer
• Cheesecloth
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Rice Pilaf Recipe 2nd of the 10ways how to use chicken stock

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Rice Pilaf Recipe

Rice pilaf refers to rice that is cooked by the "pilaf method," in which the uncooked rice is first sautéed in butter, after which hot liquid or stock is added, and then the pot is covered and cooked in the oven until all the liquid is absorbed.

For that reason, when making this rice pilaf recipe, you'll want to make sure to use a saucepan that's safe for the stovetop and the oven — including the lid.

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 cup long-grain white rice
• 1½ cups chicken stock or broth
• 2 Tbsp onion, finely diced
• 2 Tbsp celery, finely diced
• 2 Tbsp butter
• Kosher salt, to taste

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.


2. Heat a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat, then add the butter. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, bring the stock or broth to a boil.


3. When the butter gets foamy, add the diced onion and celery and sauté until the onion is slightly translucent, about 2-3 minutes.


4. Add the uncooked rice and sauté, stirring constantly, for about a minute, or until the rice is fully coated with the melted butter.


5. Add the hot stock or broth, bring it back to a boil, then cover and place the entire pot in the oven.
   
   TIP: Check the seasoning of the cooking liquid and make any necessary adjustments before the pot goes into the oven.


6. Cook the rice pilaf in the oven for 18 minutes or until all the liquid is absorbed. If after 18 minutes there's still liquid in the pot or the rice is still too moist, re-cover and return the pot to the oven for another 2 to 4 minutes.


7. Remove the pot from the oven and gently fluff the rice pilaf with a wooden fork. Then place a paper towel across the top of the pot, replace the lid and let the rice pilaf stand for 10 minutes.

Makes 4 portions of rice pilaf (about 6 oz. each).
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10 Ways to Use Chicken Stock /(1) Ratatouille Recipe

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(1) Ratatouille Recipe

Ratatouille is a traditional French dish made of eggplants, tomatoes and zucchini. It's often served as a side dish with lamb or other meats or poultry — even fish. Served over rice or couscous, it makes a hearty meal. This ratatouille recipe uses zucchini, yellow squash and toasted pine nuts.

Also check out this step-by-step tutorial, how to make ratatouille.

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

Ingredients:

• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 large red onion, ½-inch dice
• ½ cup toasted pine nuts
• 1 medium eggplant, ½-inch dice
• 2 large, ripe tomatoes (or one 14½ oz. can diced tomatoes)
• 2 small zucchini, ½-inch dice
• 2 small yellow squash, ½-inch
• ½ cup chicken stock or broth (but see variation below)
• 1 Tbsp chopped fresh oregano leaves, or 1½ tsp. dried oregano (see variation below)

Preparation:

• Heat a heavy bottomed sauté pan over medium heat for a minute, then add olive oil.


• When the oil is hot, add the onion, garlic and pine nuts and sauté for 3 minutes or until the onion is slightly soft.


• Add stock and eggplant and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes or until the eggplant is tender.


• Add tomatoes, zucchini and yellow squash and cook for about 10 more minutes or until the zucchini and squash are tender but still firm to the bite and brightly colored.


• Stir in the minced oregano leaves about a minute before cooking is finished.


• Serve garnished with a sprig of fresh oregano.

Serves 4.

Variations:

• While this recipe calls for chicken stock (or broth), it can easily be prepared with vegetable stock instead, making it suitable for vegetarians or vegans.


• Use 1½ tsp Herbes de Provence in place of the fresh oregano, and add them with the tomatoes, zucchini and yellow squash, not at the end of cooking. This also applies to dried oregano if substituting it for fresh.
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Pearl's Learn How to Poach a Chicken

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How to Poach a Chicken

When you poach a chicken, you're actually doing two things: One, you're making a delicious poached chicken. And two, you're also making a savory chicken broth that you can use in all kinds of wonderful recipes.

Poaching a chicken is a great way to make an easy and wholesome family meal. And because there's no added fat, a poached chicken is a really healthy meal as well.

Note that the following steps describe how to poach a whole chicken. If you just want to poach the breasts, see How to Poach Chicken Breasts. It's a slightly different method.

Poaching a Chicken

1. To begin poaching your chicken, first take out the little bag of giblets, rinse the chicken under cold running water and let it drain for about five minutes. If you happen to be using an air-chilled chicken, you can skip the rinsing step.


2. While that's happening, chop up an onion, a couple of carrots and two or three celery stalks.


3. Now, transfer the chicken to a large pot. Add the chopped onion, carrots and celery, along with a tablespoon of whole peppercorns; a clove of garlic (peeled and crushed) or two; a bay leaf and some fresh herbs. My favorite way to do this poached chicken is with a sprig or two of fresh thyme, but rosemary, marjoram, oregano, tarragon or even fresh parsley would also be terrific.


4. Now, cover the chicken with water, add a tablespoon of Kosher salt, and bring it to a boil. Then lower to a simmer, cover with a tight-fitting lid and cook for about an hour and twenty minutes. Note that a simmer means somewhere between 180° and 200°F. You'll see a few bubbles rising up gently, but the water will be well short of a full rolling boil.


5. After about an hour, you can add some new potatoes, red potatoes or Yukon Gold potatoes, cut up into chunks. Some turnips, peeled and diced, can also be added at this point if you wish.


6. After the full hour and twenty minutes, turn off the heat, remove the chicken and transfer it to some sort of big roasting pan, a baking sheet or even a large bowl to cool for about twenty minutes. Save the broth! It's liquid gold, full of flavor and body.


7. When the chicken is cool enough to handle, you can pull off all the meat, using a fork to get off the trickier bits. You can use this succulent poached chicken meat in all kinds of recipes, like chicken salad, chicken enchiladas, chicken pot pie, or any number of pasta dishes.

Using Poached Chicken Meat

Alternately, you could let the poached chicken cool for about five minutes and then just pull it apart into the main eight pieces (two each of breast, thigh, drumstick and wing) and serve with the broth and vegetables. Then later you can strip the remaining meat off the carcass.

If you wanted to, you could simmer some egg noodles in the broth while you're pulling the meat off the chicken. Then add the meat to bowls along with the veggies, broth and noodles for a delicious chicken noodle soup. If you're doing noodles, you may want to skip the potatoes, but the turnips will really make a beautiful chicken soup.

Finally, you can strain and cool the broth and use it for making sauces, soups, rice, risotto, or basically anything you'd use chicken stock for

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Pearl's Champagne Chicken with Tarragon and Prosciutto

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Chicken Risotto Recipe

This chicken risotto can be made with leftover roasted chicken, grilled chicken, or poached chicken breasts.

Making risotto involves stirring hot stock into uncooked arborio rice a ladleful at a time and cooking slowly as the stock is absorbed. This releases the rice's natural starches, producing the creamy, velvety consistency characteristic of perfect risotto.

For an illustrated demonstration of the risotto method, see this step-by-step tutorial: How to make risotto.

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 lb (450 grams) cooked chicken (3 to 4 medium boneless chicken breasts or the equivalent)
• 1½ cups (225 grams) arborio rice
• 1 qt chicken stock
• ½ cup white wine
• 1 medium shallot or ½ small onion, chopped (about ½ cup)
• 3 Tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 Tbsp vegetable oil
• ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra parmesan for shaving
• Kosher salt, to taste

Preparation:

1. Pull the cooked chicken apart into bite-sized pieces and set aside.


2. Heat the stock in a saucepan, and lower the heat so that it just stays hot but doesn't boil.


3. In a large, heavy-bottomed pot, heat 1 Tbsp oil and 1 Tbsp of the butter over medium heat, then add the onion or shallot. Sauté for 2 to 3 minutes, until the onion is translucent.


4. Next add the rice and sauté for another minute or two, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon so that the rice doesn't have a chance to brown, until it gives off a nutty aroma and the grains are coated with the oil.


5. Add the wine and cook for another minute, stirring, until the liquid is absorbed.


6. Now begin by adding a ladleful of hot stock to the rice and stirring until it is absorbed. It's important to stir constantly, especially while the hot stock gets absorbed, so that the rice doesn't scorch, and add the next ladle as soon as the rice is almost dry.


7. Continue in this manner, adding a ladleful of stock and stirring while the liquid is absorbed, then adding another ladleful when the rice is almost dry. You'll see the rice develop a creamy consistency as its natural starches are released.


8. Keep adding stock, a ladle at a time, for 20 to 30 minutes or until the grains are tender but still firm to the bite, without being crunchy. If you run out of stock and the risotto still isn't done, you can finish the cooking using hot water. Just add the water as you did with the stock, a ladle at a time, stirring while it's absorbed.


9. Stir in the chicken, the remaining 2 Tbsp butter and the parmesan cheese, and season to taste with Kosher salt. Serve in individual bowls and garnish with additional shaved parmesan.

Makes 6 to 8 servings of chicken risotto.
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