Food preparation can be a minefield for those in the catering industry. Imagine serving for a conference or other similarly large event, where everyone is eating the same. If they all get food poisoning, there’s little you’d be able to do to avert the blame. And rightly so. Every time you prepare a meal, your reputation and future success is ultimately on the line. I suggest you remember that when you might otherwise have forgotten to wash the cucumber!

I always look to the big names in the industry for advice and guidance. Companies like the food division of Damac Holding are to be looked up to. Guided by Chairman Hussain Sajwani and Group Director Sofyan Khatib, they know exactly what’s on the line if they slip up. Reputation is becoming an ever increasing concern with the spread of the internet and the potential for any slur on your business to spread like wildfire and appear very easily in a search for your company name.

To stop myself worrying about these things too much, I have, over the years in this industry, worked out a strict checklist while preparing food. I make all of my staff memorise it within their probation with me (and test them on it regularly, aren’t I a beast?)

Comments Off

I’ll never forget that morning when I woke up, looked in the mirror, and realised I was fat. It’s a big step to take, to admit to yourself that those love handles didn’t use to be there and that double chin doesn’t do anything for you. Of course, I’ve been ’stocky’ for a while- several years if I’m going to be honest. I’m not really sure how it happened. I don’t think I eat more than I used to and I’m always rushing around doing things. Anyway, all those excuses aside, once I’d actually admitted to myself that that reflection was best described as ‘fat’, I realised I’d better do something about it.

To cut a very long story short, it took me about three weeks of time-wasting to decide what course of action to take. In those three weeks, I read a lot of health books, looked at a lot of websites and watched a lot of television. The show that really spoke to me was Gillian Mckeith’s ‘You Are What You Eat’. And my choice of solution? I write down everything I eat and what exercise I do. And so far, it’s working! It made me realise just how much rubbish I manage to fit in between all those ‘healthy’ meals and how, without setting aside time, I never did any real exercise.

Truth told, a few tweaks here and there seem to doing the treat- those love handles are slowly thinning away and my double chin’s more of an extra half than a whole. My advice would be to just act sensibly- learn about what you’re eating and, if you’re anything like me, you’ll be motivated to change.

Comments Off

(NC)Summer is often a time of unabashed enjoyment, when sitting on a patio soaking up the sun makes us forget our long, cold winter. But for some, summer can also be a time of watching waistlines and getting into shape. What may come as a surprise to many is that enjoying a beer this summer can be part of both agendas - and might actually be good for you.

It’s a common misconception that beer is fattening and unhealthy. The reality is that beer, enjoyed in moderation, can provide a myriad of health benefits.

Most Canadian beers, from nationally available brands like Labatt Blue Pilsener to smaller micro-brews, are made from only the finest natural ingredients - water, grains, hops and yeast and do not contain any preservatives. Beer is an excellent source of B vitamins and contains soluble fibre and many antioxidants. Recent studies show that moderate consumption of beer may reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and stomach ulcers.

So, not only does beer have more of the good things we want, it also has less of the bad things we don’t want. Fat, for example. Beer contains no fat and has fewer calories than most people probably think. When compared to juices, colas and even brown rice, beer actually has the fewest calories.

Did you know

• 12 oz. serving of Labatt Blue has only 140 calories

• 12 oz. serving of juice has 180 calories

• 12 oz. serving of cola has 150 calories

• 1 cup of brown rice has 214 calories

So, from now on, enjoying a beer does not have to be a guilty pleasure. Enjoyed in moderation, beer is better for you than you may have thought.

For more information on beer visit www.labattblue.ca. Cheers!

- News Canada

News Canada provides a wide selection of current, ready-to-use copyright free news stories and ideas for Television, Print, Radio, and the Web.

News Canada is a niche service in public relations, offering access to print, radio, television, and now the Internet media, with ready-to-use, editorial “fill” items. Monitoring and analysis are two more of our primary services. The service supplies access to the national media for marketers in the private, the public, and the not-for-profit sectors. Your corporate and product news, consumer tips and information are packaged in a variety of ready-to-use formats and are made available to every Canadian media organization including weekly and daily newspapers, cable and commercial television stations, radio stations, as well as the Web sites Canadians visit most often. Visit News Canada and learn more about the NC services.

Comments Off

It is said that King Henry VIII was so fond of this particular steak cut from the loins of beef, that he termed it as ‘Sir Loin’, which became notoriously famous as the sirloin steak. The sirloin steak is cut from the lower portion of the ribs, which continues onwards to the rump and the tenderloin. The muscles of this region are a bit exercised and hence, the sirloin steak is a tad bit tougher than the other premium steak, the filet mignon. In fact, the sirloin steak is the cheapest of the premium cuts of steak.

Sirloin steaks are always cut with a bit of the bone attached to it. This bone adds flavor to the steak. Based on the region of the bone which is cut with the sirloin steak, they may be pin-bone or hip-bone, flat-bone, round-bone and wedge-bone sirloin steaks. The wedge-bone sirloin steaks are closest to the rump and they are the least tender. There is variation in the size of the bone and the steak. Sirloin steaks are also sold without the bone. Boneless sirloin steaks are called as rump steaks or butt steaks. Normal sirloin steaks are 2.5 to 3.5 inches in diameter and 1 inch in thickness.

Even depending on the region of the loin from where the steak is cut, there may be different type of sirloins. Sirloin steaks may be top sirloin and bottom sirloin. Bottom sirloin is less tender and it is what is commonly available in stores. The bottom sirloin connects to the top sirloin butt roast, which is a tough sirloin steak and better eaten roasted.

Sirloin steaks are generally cooked by dry-heating methods such as grilling, sautéing or broiling after trimming the excess fat. Sirloin steaks are considered to be the most popular barbeque items and grilling maintains all their natural flavors. Top butt roast steaks are also good for roasting. However care must be taken while cooking them as over-cooking will kill the nutritional value and the palatability of the steak. Ideally, sirloin steaks must be cooked to no more than medium rare.

A sirloin steak weighing about 3 ounces will have 219.3 calories, including 27% of protein and 15% fat. Sirloin steaks contain no carbohydrates and fibers.

Sirloin steaks provide big cuts and they are the cheapest of the premium steaks. For this reason, they are the most favored variety of steak for family get-togethers and backyard barbeques.

Steak provides detailed information about steak, flank steak, grilling steak and more. Steak is affiliated with Disposable Chef Hats.

Comments Off

CaterSense is Mechline’s range of kitchen environment safety
devices designed for safety management in commercial foodservice
premises. New to the range is Mechline’s Carbon Monoxide and
Carbon Dioxide sensor (CO/CO2 Sensor), designed to interface
with Gas Interlock Systems (G.I.S.). Using unique technology,
the wall-mounted CaterSense CO/CO2 sensor will detect a build up
of CO or CO2 in the commercial kitchen, providing a constant
visual indication of underlying levels of harmful gases. If the
air CO or CO2 content exceeds recommended industry levels, the
battery-powered CaterSense CO/CO2 sensor will pulse a signal to
the G.I.S. and shut off the gas supply to the kitchen while
emitting an audible alarm thus ensuring the safety and well
being of kitchen staff. The CaterSense CO/CO2 sensor can be
installed in conjunction with existing Gas Interlock Systems.
Another brilliant safety device idea that can be used easily and
practically in commercial foodservice.

Exhibiting at Hotelympia, 19-23 Feb 2006, in the North Hall,
Stand: N1919, ExCel Exhibition Centre, London, Mechline will
demonstrate its popular brands and launch new, exciting products
guaranteed to be of interest to the Hotelympia visitor. Also at
the show are Mechline’s familiar brands: QuickLink - patented
quick-disconnect systems AquaJet - WRAS approved pre-rinse spray
units, taps and spare parts CaterTap -WRAS approved basin, sink
and mixer taps ideal for contractual opportunities Pegler - WRAS
approved premier manufacturer of basin, sink, mixer and
specialty taps Dormont - specially engineered gas hoses and gas
hose safety accessories for mobile catering equipment; plus
Dormont SWIRL coiled water hose and Dormont Metric FlexTube for
OEMs Delabie - premium pre-rinse spray units; water-saving,
electronic, hands-free and standard taps; and speciality
plumbing components. Look for new, “hands-free” products in the
range to improve hygiene and good practice in the catering
environment–including revolutionary designs to combat the risk
of spreading the potentially fatal Legionella bacteria. Mo-El -
traditional electric grid designed insect killers, plus
attractive adhesive and fan-assisted models, including the
award-winning Insectivoro Mechline GIS - Mechline’s Gas
Interlock System that cuts off gas flow in the event of kitchen
ventilation fan failure, as recommended by HSE Sheet No. 23 -
Gas Safety in Catering and Hospitality CaterSense - reliable
carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide sensor to work with
Mechline’s GIS for the ultimate in air-quality safety in the
Catering and Hospitality sector GreasePak - ecologically
friendly grease management system

Comments Off

Here are some facts about the relationship between coffee and asthma. Regular coffee drinkers have about 1/3 less asthma symptoms than those of non-coffee drinkers according to a Harvard researcher who studied 20,000 people.

For the past several years, many experts have touted how horrible coffee was for our health and that the drinking of caffeinated coffee should be immediately ceased. Recently, however, several studies have shown that caffeinated coffee can actually be extremely good for people. One of the groups of people who can reap health benefits from drinking caffeinated coffee is those people who suffer from asthma.

In particular, drinking caffeinated coffee in the situation of an emergency onset of asthma can allow the patient to breathe easily. Doctors have recommended coffee as an emergency way of treating asthma patients who find themselves with a sudden onset and no medication for many, many years.

In Scotland, as evidenced by the Edinburgh Medical Journal, asthma and coffee are good for each other. While not recommended for exclusive treatment, one to two cups of strong coffee may help open airways.

This coffee and asthma treatment can help a patient who is suffering from an onset of asthma symptoms and finds himself without an inhaler breathe more easily until the inhaler can be obtained. This emergency treatment has proven extremely effective due to the similarities between caffeine and a tried-and-true asthma medication known as theophylline.

The similarities between these two chemicals lead doctors to routinely advise patients who are about to undergo tests for lung function to avoid coffee and other caffeinated beverages for one to two days prior to the time of the test.

Several large coffee and asthma studies conducted in the past few years have examined the relationship between drinking coffee and the prevalence of asthma. A study of over seventy thousand Italians showed that there was a significant reduction in the appearance of asthma amongst patients who would regularly drink coffee.

The risk of asthma symptoms fell by 28% when patients drank three or more cups of coffee every day.

In 1992, the Second National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES II) examined over twenty thousand Americans. The study found that the risk of symptoms from patients with asthma going into the study fell dramatically (over 29%) when patients who regularly drank coffee were compared with patients who did not drink coffee on a regular basis.

In addition, the risk of patients suffering from wheeze fell almost 13%. A relationship was also found between the amount of coffee consumed and the effects gained by the asthma patients. Those who drank more coffee had fewer symptoms; those who drank less coffee had more symptoms.

Another smaller coffee and asthma study was performed on nine adult asthmatics using four daily doses of caffeine similar to the doses contained in coffee. This study showed a dose response effect of caffeine on forced expiratory volume (FEV), forced expiratory flow (FEF) and specific airway conductance (Gaw/VL). This data also suggests that caffeine is an effective tool to use in opening airways during an onset of asthma.

While doctors will never advise drinking coffee as the sole treatment for asthma as they did hundreds of years ago, they do agree that the caffeine found in coffee is particularly beneficial in an emergency situation. Anecdotal evidence shows that people have used coffee in situations where inhalers were completely unavailable, such as when on vacations and on an airplane. Coffee is particularly useful in these situations, as the patients might otherwise suffer serious consequences due to their inability to breathe properly.

Randy has more articles on coffee such as Colombian Coffee, Coffee and Alzheimers, and Coffee Breaks.

Comments Off