Food Safety & Food Performance

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Food Safety & Food Performance
By: Karen A. Spencer- Food Information Consultant

With the summer vacation season in full swing and the 4th of July just around the corner, to ensure there are no interruptions in your enjoyment take a look at the FDA article entitled Eating Outdoors, Handling Food Safely for information on how to pack and transport your food, tips on prepping the picnic site, grilling techniques and more. Additionally, there are numerous articles on this site on food handling and storage that are worth reading as well.

Food Performance
We have all had our food flops, no need to dwell on it, but to reduce the flops we need to develop consistency in our recipe development. I’ve found a couple of videos that you may find useful on kitchen techniques by Peter Hertzmann. Peter covers whisk, knife and measuring techniques.

Enjoy!

Quick Meal Tips

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Quick Meal Tips
When Time Is Not On Your Side
By: Karen A. Spencer- Food Information Consultant
June 2009

Meticulous time planners probably would admit that on rare occasions, they have to come up with a quick meal or snack in order to stay on schedule. Most of us have fast-paced lifestyles, we rush out to work, hurry to pick up the children from school or work late in the evenings to meet a project deadline. Whether we take time management seriously or not, we do tend to accomplish more when we have taken the time to plan our day.

Previous research has shown that we want our meals on the table in 20 minutes or less. Our supermarket shelves are lined with products such as ready meals, frozen meals, side dish mixes. The meat counters contain products that are already seasoned and marinated. As much as technology and creativity played its part in these successes, so did time management.

Now we are at a different stage. With the current economic situation, consumers are eating out less and are opting to prepare more of their meals at home. Our fast paced lifestyles have not changed, so how do we balance the budget, yet still prepare meals for our new needs?

Good Planning
There is no way around it, you have to plan if you want to stay within your budget or prepare meals within the time frame available to you. Preparing more meals at home can mean a lot of things to different people. For some it is still using convenience foods, while others may choose to prepare more foods from scratch. Whatever your preference you should consider the following:

Determine your monthly food budget
I like to think in terms of breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks. Plan your purchases around these 4 categories. Don’t forget to factor in holidays or family gatherings into your budget. If there is an upcoming event that you know about, plan for it months or weeks in advance and you will probably spend less money than if you made the purchases 1-2 days before the event.

Convenience versus homemade
Lifestyle, planning, cooking skill and your creative abilities will dictate how often you use convenience foods versus cooking from scratch. I am not against convenience foods, they save time, and they are extremely tasty and the truth is we will always use convenience foods. I don’t know too many people that still make mayonnaise, ketchup, grow their own beans, or make their own cheese.

Here are a few ideas that you can try whether you choose convenience or home-made.

Keep a good supply of condiments on hand
Condiments are very versatile on their own, they have character and can be blended with other ingredients such as cream cheese, veggies or beans to create your own speciality sandwich spread.

Antipasto: the perfect first course or building block of a meal
Antipasto or hors d’oeuvres are the best meal solutions for all dining situations. If you have olives, smoked fish, marinated vegetables on hand, you can quickly create a first course in minutes or use them as a building block to prepare a meal on the go that can be assembled in minutes. For example an hors d’oeuvre of sardines and olives is a building block of a great salad for lunch.

Sardine, Fennel & Avocado Salad
1 can of sardines in olive oil (drain and reserve the oil)
1 1/2 cup thinly sliced fresh fennel
3- 4 cherry tomatoes halved
½ small avocado cubed
6 -10 green olives
Fresh parsley- to taste
Minced fresh garlic -to taste
Lemon juice- fresh

To a salad bowl add fresh fennel, tomatoes, olives, garlic, sardines and avocado.
Add reserved oil from the sardines to taste. Add parsley. Spritz lemon juice to taste over the top and serve.

Make time in your schedule to prepare dishes with longer cooking/preparation times
You are less likely to consider a dish with long preparation and cooking times if you have not planned for it. By planning in advance you may find it won’t take a big chunk out of your schedule. For example, if chickpeas are a component of one of your dishes prepare them in advance on a day when your schedule is not as full and freeze them in small batches for later use. The same holds true for baking. Prepare your baked goods ahead of time and either freeze the dough or the finished product. These are great ways to reduce your spending on convenience food items.

Note: It is always important to read a recipe through before making it for the first time. Read my article entitled Cooking by the Books, March 25, 2009.

Take Notes
Some of the information I mentioned in my previous article on How to Create a New Recipe, May 31, 2009 applies here. Take notes on what works. You may find that you can cook items that don’t require a lot of attention when you are putting the children to bed or some items are better left for the weekends. Additionally, you can always pick up tips from friends.

Here’s to good planning and good eating!!!

How To Create a New Recipe

How To Create A New Recipe
By: Karen A. Spencer- Food Information Consultant

Having worked in the food industry creating new product concepts for clients, I learned quickly to think out of the box and try various flavor and ingredient combinations. I didn’t always “hit it on the nail” the first time, but after a little tweaking, I did come up with some combinations that wowed both colleagues and clients. Here are a few things to keep in mind when you are trying to create a new recipe.

Brainstorm Before You Start
I believe good ideas are developed over time. I always say, “Ideas lead you to the idea,” so every idea should be recorded and not thrown to the side because you or others think it won’t work. No, the idea has its place and if you continue with the brainstorming process, you will come up with the idea.

Don’t Be Afraid To Try the Oddest Combinations
You will be surprised how some of the oddest combinations work together and can enhance the overall flavour of a dish. For example a little soy sauce in chocolate enhances the chocolate flavour and if you are a garlic lover try adding an extremely small amount of garlic to ice cream; you will be pleasantly surprised how the ice cream will have a fuller flavour.

Take Notes
As you are creating your new recipe, make notes on the flavour, texture and appearance of your dish. Get a new set of taste buds to evaluate your dish for additional feedback.

Precision
The best results are achieved when you have a consistent recipe to follow. Your friends should get similar results if adequate instructions are given for ingredient preparation and the steps are clear.

Cheesecakes: The Familiar and the Unusual

Cheesecakes: The Familiar and the Unusual
By: Karen A. Spencer- Food Information Consultant

Most of us are familiar with cheesecake; it’s sweet and creamy with lots of cream cheese. There is also another side of cheesecake that uses a variety of cheeses (ricotta, goat cheese, blue cheese) and can produce both sweet and savory desserts. Here are a few familiar and unusual cheesecakes for you to try.

New York Style Cheesecake

Black Pepper Cheesecake

Savory Blue Cheesecake

Red Velvet Cheesecake

Polka Dot Cheese Cake

Craig Claiborne’s Cheesecake

Cooking with Fresh Ginger

Cooking with Fresh Ginger
By: Karen A. Spencer- Food Information Consultant

Ginger root or fresh ginger grows in tropical and subtropical areas. Its flavor is pungent and the flesh color ranges from tan to ivory. Fresh ginger is common in Asian, Indian and Chinese cuisine. In American cooking ginger is used primarily in baked goods in the dried or ground forms. Fresh ginger use is quite versatile, it performs well in beverages and savory and sweet dishes.

How to Buy
Fresh ginger can be purchased in two forms, young ginger also called spring ginger and mature ginger. Young ginger has a thin skin which does not require peeling and a mild flavor. Mature ginger has a smooth tough skin, which requires peeling; its flavor is spicy with a pungent aroma. Avoid purchasing mature ginger with wrinkled skin; this is an indication of a product that is drying out.

Storing Fresh Ginger
Fresh ginger can be stored for up to 3 weeks in refrigerator and up to 6 months in the freezer. To store, leave the skin on and wrap tightly. To use frozen ginger, slice off a piece and put the remainder immediately in the freezer, do not allow to thaw.

Suggestive Uses
Add to fruit or vegetable juice- When juicing your favorite juice, add a bit of fresh ginger.
Replace dried ginger with fresh ginger in baked goods; grate or finely chop. Note: dried products are more concentrated than fresh products.
Add fresh ginger to sparkling water; add a slice of lemon or lime.
Fresh ginger and fresh lime juice added to a fruit salad is very refreshing. Combinations to try: blueberry and banana; apple, banana, kiwi, orange; pomegranate.

Recipes Using Ginger Root
Chunky Ginger Ice Cream

New Potatoes with Ginger and Mint

Stir-Fried Chicken

Steamed Whole Fish

Whole Roasted Carrots with Fresh Ginger

Setting the Table

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Setting The Table
By: Karen A. Spencer- Food Information Consultant

I am really big on table settings since touring Buckingham Palace State Banquet exhibit last summer. It was quite formal; the best of their porcelain and silver gilt is used for the place settings. The fish and meat courses are usually served on silver gilt and the dessert courses on porcelain.

I like the idea of using a variety of dinnerware during the meal. Whether your budget is large or small, you can create a formal or informal setting to that meets your needs that speaks to your own personal style. My focus today will be on variety in dinnerware pieces to help you achieve something special.

Using China As A Compliment To Your Service
If there is not room in your budget for a full set of china, why not purchase items that will complement your current dinnerware? For example: Find a china pattern for dessert plates that compliment your existing set of dinnerware. At a later date you add on to the set if you like. Also invest in a nice set of dessert forks and spoons.

The Odd Cup, Saucer, Bowl
Items do break and after some time you may be left with one or two items that have little use. Don’t throw them out; you can create your own serving dish.
1.Invert your cup or tea cup.
2.Put glue or cement around the bottom edge of the cup.
3.Place your bowl or saucer on top of the cup/tea cup.
4.Allow to set until dry.
Note: Please check with your local craft/home repair store for an appropriate glue or cement that is safe around food and can withstand dishwasher temperatures.

A Bowl of Fruit
Take time to arrange a bowl of fruit in a decorative bowl, it does wonders for the table.

I hope to share more suggestions at a later date. Let’s hear your suggestions!!!

Which oil should I use?

Which oil should I use?
By: Karen A. Spencer- Food Information Consultant

Part of living a healthy lifestyle is having a healthy diet. Oils are an essential part of our diet, our bodies requires them to function properly. A friend recently told me she wanted to know which type of oil to use for which purpose. I told her I would look into it and this is what I told her.

Olive Oil
Olive oil is by far my favorite oil. Extra virgin olive oil is cold pressed and is produced from the first pressing. Cold press is an extraction method where the material (olives, soybeans, etc.) is mechanically pressed without any heat treatment. Many factors such as the blend of olives, soil, climate, etc. affect the flavor and color of the olive oil. Olive oil is high in monounsaturated fat, which is believed to help reduce cholesterol. Olive oil or pure olive oil is produced from the second pressing where the olives are now ground to a paste and washed in hot water to release additional oil. Here are some tips on the uses of olive oil according to the American Olive Oil Association.

Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Has a robust fruity flavor. Extra Virgin Olive Oil is an excellent choice for salads and vegetable dishes, basting, sauces, soups and marinades.

Olive Oil
Has a milder flavor with a hint of fruitiness. It has more of an all purpose use and can be used for sautéing, stir frying, etc.

Extra Light Olive Oil
Has the mildest flavor with a slight olive flavor. It works nicely in baked goods and can be used as a substitute for vegetable oil. It is also the best choice for high temperature cooking because it won’t burn. Note: I once had a slice of cake made from extra light olive oil it had a nice light flavor; I couldn’t detect any olive oil flavor at all.

Other Oils & Their Uses

Sunflower Oil
Sunflower oil is an all purpose oil that is high in polyunsaturated fat, which is believed to help reduce cholesterol. Sunflower oil is a light oil with little taste. It is good for frying and can be blended with other oils (olive oil and nut oils).

Safflower Oil
Safflower oil is extracted from the seeds of the safflower. It is an all purpose oil with an oily texture and nutty flavor. It can be substituted for sunflower oil or peanut oil.

Corn Oil
Corn oil has a strong flavor and can be used as a cooking oil.

Peanut Oil
Peanut oil is good for cooking and for salad dressings. Peanut Oil is used often in salad dressings and in Indian, Chinese and South East Asian cooking. Note: In my opinion, potato chips and french fries fried in peanut oil are superior to those fried in other oils; you get a crisper chip and a nicer fry.

Grape Seed Oil
Grape seed oil is made from the discarded grape seeds from wine making. It has a mild delicate flavor and works well in dressings.

Walnut Oil
Walnut oil should be used sparingly; be careful not to overheat. It has a distinct nutty taste and can be used in salad dressings or drizzled over pasta or cooked vegetables.

Sesame Oil
Sesame oil comes in two varieties untoasted which is light in color and comes from untoasted sesame seeds and toasted, which is dark in color and comes from toasted sesame seeds. Use sesame seed oil sparingly it has a very strong flavor, and don’t overheat. Sesame seed oil is often used in Chinese, Indian and Middle Eastern dishes. I found a recipe once for a vegetarian split pea soup with tomatoes. It suggested adding a drop of toasted sesame oil to give the soup a meaty taste. It was excellent!

Almond Oil
Almond oil is excellent in cakes, cookies, candies and other desserts.

Hazelnut Oil
Hazelnut oil should be blended with other oils due to its strength. Use in salad dressing, over vegetables or in cakes, cookies, and pastries.

Storing Oils
Oils should be purchased in small quantities and stored in the refrigerator to keep fresh.

I hope you find this as useful as my friend!!