Beginners Guide - Pots

In this article in the beginners guide to the kitchen we look at pots in the kitchen.

GENERAL INFO ON POTS
The material and size of the pot is closely linked to the manner of heating surface on which it is placed, solid top stoves or individual burners.

The size of the heating surface, determines the bottom area of the pot. Large pots can be placed on solid top stoves or large individual gas burners, while smaller size pots are best heated by individual burners or solid top elements. All pots and pans should be handled carefully, so that they do not fall. This causes the pot circumference to loose it’s round shape and makes the lid unable to close tightly. This makes the pot ineffective for it’s purpose, as it looses too much liquid by evaporation, causing the food to burn easily in the pot.
Never place an empty pot on a hot surface and wait for it to heat up. The heat will deform and warp the bottom of the pot, making it hollow. This has the effect,that the surface has no contact with the heating surface and the heat is not transmitted properly, causing the pot to cook very slowly or not at all. All pots, kettles and pans, must be stored upside down to avoid dust collecting inside.


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Beginners Guide - Small Kitchen Tools

This is the second installment in the Beginners guide to the kitchen.

In this insallment well be looking at Small kitchen tools.

The trussing needle
This is a needle which is approximately 15 cm long and very sturdy. It can take a butcher’s twine.

The needle may be straight or bent, like a sail maker’s needle. It is used for sowing the bally cavity of a chicken or a lamb, veal or pork carcasse closed. The needle can also be used to pierce the leg joint of a chicken or turkey and help to truss (shape) the bird by tying the legs and wing joints together and pushing the breast outwards. This is mostly used in display birds for showpieces on a cold buffet.

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Beginners Guide - Knives

Below is the first installment of the beginners guide to kitchen tools and equipment.

In this article we will be discussing all the aspects of Knives, their different attributes and proper maintenace of your kitchen knife.

THE BEGINNER’S GUIDE TO KITCHEN TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT - Knives

Whether you work in your kitchen at home or in a professional kitchen, you will have to make use of certain basic kitchen tools and equipment.
By knowing and understanding what each tool has been designed for, how to identify it, how to handle and store it safely and hygienically, will allow you to choose wisely for your specific requirements. This should save you money and injury.

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Follow up on the Genetically Modified Foods article

FOLLOW UP ON G M FOODS

During the last instalment, the conclusion was reached that GM foods should be
Attached to a stringent code of labelling, to allow the customer to make an informed decision.
Each individual new product should undergo strict and long term studies for after effects and possible harmful consequences.

The following could be taken as a statement of intent.

Objectives of GM foods
Protection of crops against insects and viruses
Increased herbicide tolerance
If possible, to achieve these objectives together with a substantial cost saving.

GM crops have successfully increased yields, lowered costs of labour and production and reduced the use of chemicals. Genetic engineering allows for enhancement of food security and improves the nutritional quality which is not possible with current technology. All this is due to the fact that the seed contains already all these mentioned benefits.

Some of these concerns have now been addressed and in the CIMMYT Newsletter of
October 01, 2004 it has been established, that most objections on the risks of GM foods are not backed by evidence current studies by national and international organizations have shown no demonstrable harmful nutritional effects on foods The effects on consumers are still outstanding
or under study..

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Are genetically modified foods safe?

Are genetically modified foods safe?

Introduction
• Genetically modified organism foods (GMO) present us with a problem which is still not entirely understood by the general population.
• GMO foods are foods whose chromosomes have been mixed with those of other plants and even entirely other organisms.
• Why do we need GMO foods?

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Welcome to my hospitality site

Welcome to my hospotality and food information site.

Within the next few weeks I will be posting all kinds of information on food, food preperation, kitchen design and the hotel and hospitality industry.