Saturday, September 27, 2014

Garlic turning Blue or Green

Garlic is known to contain sulfur compounds which can react with minute traces of copper to form copper sulfate, a blue and green compound. The amount of copper needed for this reaction is very small and frequently found in normal water supplies. Raw garlic contain an enzyme that if not inactivated by heating reacts with sulfur ( in the garlic ) and copper ( from water or utensils ) to form blue copper sulfate. The garlic is still safe to eat.

If fresh garlic is picked before it is fully mature and hasn't been properly dried, it can turn and iridescent blue or green color when in the presence of an acid. It may be caused by an allinin derivative.

A reaction between garlic's natural sulfur content and copper in water supply, or in the cooking utensils your are using ( such as cast iron, tin, or aliminum ) can sometimes change the color of garlic.

The other souces of copper might be butter, lemon juice, or vinegar.

Garlic will also turn green ( develop chlorophyll ) if exposed to an temperature change or is exposed to sunlight. Some people say it can be stored for 32 days at or above 70-80 degree F to prevent greening.

DON'T WORRY, GREENISH-BLUE COLOR CHANGES AREN'T HATMFUL AND YOUR GARLIC IS STILL SAFE TO EAT. ( UNLESS YOU SEE OTHER SPOILAGE )

Thursday, June 5, 2014

Food Costing and Quantity purchases

 The concepts of weight and measure in culinary math. This methods reffering formulas that determine to food costing and buying the protein, produce, dairy and dry goods.

- Weight 
  Measure the density, mass of heaviness of liquids or solid express in us standard scale of
    Gram 28.35 gram
    Ounces 16 oz
    Pounds 1 lbs
    Kilogram 2.2 lbs
    1 lbs= 453.6 gram

Note: to convert unit of measurement large to smaller must be multiply

- Volume 
  Measure the amount of space of liquid or solid occupies express in us standard scale 
    Teaspoon 3 tsp
    Tablespoon 2 tbsp
    Fluid ounces 8 floz
    Cups 2 cup
    Pints 2 pints 
    Quarts 32 floz
    Gallon 1 gallon

Note: to convert smaller unit to larger must be divided

- Recipe convertion

1) Divided 

       Disired yield : original yield = convercion factor

2) Multiply conversion factor by the quality of each ingredient in the original recipe in the original recipe to get new designed yield
Example:

Cream of cauliflower soup

 Yield : 12 portions
3 lbs cauliflower, portion needed is 16 portions 

Formula ..   16:12= 1.33
So .. 3lbs x 1.33= 4 lbs of cauliflower

Note: The inventory that you should have fornfood on daily basis is 2-5% from the total sales.

Objectively introduce the principles of food cost control management, purchasing formulas + the APQ|EPQ|Yield % relationships.


- there are 3 prime cost in the food history, they are:
 1) Food USA ( 28-35%) NY ( 28-32%) you can not spend more than 32 cent from 1 dollar that you spend
2) Beverage 15-25%
3) Labor 15-25%

Cost of sales : sales = food cost 

** Back at the house labor should not more than 9-13% from the food sales ( not included executive chef, sous chef)
** Management/Administrator should not more than 1-2 % from the food sales

Difference between executive chef and che d'cuisine that executive chef has more than 1 responsibillity or restaurant than chef d'cuisine

- Calculating food cost percentage

    OPENING INVENTORY---> (+) purchases ---> (+/-) transfers ----> (-) closing inventory = TOTAL FOOD COST

- TOTAL FOOD PERCENTAGE 

  COST per portion : selling ( menu price ) = FOOD COST %

- THEORETICAL " menu pricing " FORMULA

  * calculating menu pricing 

    Food cost per portion : food cost % = SELLING MENU PRICE

i.e. $ 4.50 : 32% = $ 14 


- Calculating ( formula )
 
 = THE EPQ ( edible portion quantity )
   Including main item ( edible on the plate ) and usable trimming 
   APQ - trim loss = EPQ

  EPQ : APQ = yield % ---> related to the food costing


- USING THE YIELD % to calculate the APQ( as-purchased quantity )

   EPQ : yield % = APQ ---> prevent over or under purchasing 

- CALCULATING THE AS-PUCHASED unit cost of an ingredient/ item
  
   TOTAL AS-purchased cost : Total number of unit* of the item

          * unit : weight, volume, container, package

I.e. 1 case = 70 tomatoes 

Each tomato cost $ 25.50 --> 70:16
       $25.50:70= 35 cent


- CALCULATING THE YIELD OR TOTAl OF PORTION IN THE EPQ OF AN ITEM

   APQ x yield % = EPQ

   EPQ : portion size = total yield or total numbe of portion


** Standard US menu size 
    - 10 oz protein 
    - 2-3 oz vegetables
    - 2-3 oz starch 
    - 1-2 oz of sauce 


- Calculating the value of usable trimming (EPQ) / barely use
  
   COST per unit : yield % = The value of usable trimming (EPQ)

Tuesday, June 3, 2014

Learning about herbs and cheeses

            In day 4 of attending class at ICE we learnt all about herbs and cheese.

Cheese

 As an Asian i do not really like cheese, the taste, texture, smell, and look of it. I don't really consume or know about cheeses, a little things i know are cheddar, mozzarella, parmesan, and Swiss it because i have eaten them in particular foods. The more i learn the more i know about cheese, in fact we disccused and had a little taste of each different kind of cheeses like fresh, ripened, soft, hard, blue veined cheese.

Cheese defined A fresh or ripened milk products prepared frome the congulated protein of milk. Resources: 
        - Cow
        - Buffalo
        - Sheep
        - Goats 
        - Yaks usually found in Asia
        - Reindeer usually found in products of Scandinavia

Component of milk: 
- Water
- Milkfat / Butterfat
- Protein contains Casein ( 82%) and Whey ( 18%)
- Lactose
- Vitamins and Minerals

The taste of milk or cheese usually depend on how much exercise the cows had. 

Three Steps of making cheese: 
1) producing the curd
  a) pooling 
  b) fermentation 
      70-90 degree + non-pathogenic, lower ph level, raise acid 
  c) curdling, coagulation, and clumping 
      Raise the temperatures 110-190 degree depend on fat and type of cheese to make.

2) producing the curd 
  d) Draing the curd
  e) Curd mixture rests 
     - low tempeerature = soft cheese
     - moderate temperature = moderate - hard cheese
     - high temperature = hard cheese, grating cheese
   f) Cutting and forming/ sharping the curd
     - cutting/ milling 
     - cooking 
     - pressing( cheddaring) 
   g) Salting 
       There are 4 methods
     - directly by hand
     - machine of floating in a "Brine solution"
     - rubbing surface with salt
     - rubbing/ washing surface eith salt, distiled water, and second non-pathogenics like mold, fungi, 
       bacteria

3) Ripening and Aging stage
   Defined controlled form of purification based on relationship of.
        TEMPERATURE, HUMIDITY, TIME 
This is determined by the cheesemaker, based on history, culture, tradition, geography, and climate 
(Terroir)

                   KINDS OF CHEESES

FRESH CHEESE 

- Mozzarella cheese i.e
  
  - Fior di latte ( cow's milk ) 
  - Mozzarella di buffalo ( water buffalo milk )
    D.O.P certified Compania, Italy

- Goat cheese 

  -  Chèvre ( chév ) means goats    Contain 20% milk fat
   - Mi-Chèvre                                 Contain 50%
Major produce in Burgundy, Provence ( France ) also in California, NY

SOFT RIPENED CHEESES ( 1-4 months )
 
- France  i.e MorGière 
Region: Sovie ; produced from raw cow's milk ; contains 22.5-25 % milk fat ; aged 60 days AOC certified.
- Italy  i.e Fontina Region: Val d'nosta province of Val Fontana ; made out ofpasteurized  cow's milk ; contains 18-20% milkfat ; aged 2-3 months

SOFT PIPENED RIND WASHED CHEESES ( 1-4 months )

- France i.e. Pont Lieveque
Region: Normandy village of Lieveque ; from cow ; contain 22-25% milkfat ; AOC
- Italy i.e. Taleggio
Region: Lombardy ; from cow ; 18-22% milkfat aged 1-2months DOP certified

SEMI HARD RIPENED CHEESES

I.e.
-Manchego 
Region: Toledo, Spain province La-Mancha 
From Sheep ; Aged 8-10 months very simillar to Italian Cacciota cheese

HARD RIPENED CHEESES

I.e.
-Parmagiano di Reggio Emillia, Italy
Region: Emillia, Italy
From: Sheep or Cow ; aged 18-24 months ; DOP 

BLUE VEINED CHEESES

- France i.e. Roquentont
  region: village of Roquentont
- Italy i.e. Gorgonzola
  Region: Lombardy, Pied Mont ; from cow
  Kinds:
    = Dolce di Lotte (1-4 months)
    = Nuturale (4-6 months)
 

Thursday, May 29, 2014

Food and safety

A. Pathogeneticity
     The development of disease causing microbes or microorganism. Food bourne illness is when two or more people are made sick from eating the same food, the food is confirmed by health professional.
You can reduce the cross contamination not only by cleaning but also sanitize.
Cleaning is to remove dirt matter from surface, but sanitize is more to minimize panthogens to safe limit and levels. 
       Adulteration ==> Food that has been contaminated making it unfit human consumption. Contaminated/ adulterated food must be discarded.

   -  Cross contamination 
       Food coming into contact with physical, chemical and biological.
     
1). Food that are considered adulterated maybe contaminated by:
      
     a) Biological Hazard (i.e)
         - Becteria
         - Viruses
         - Parasites
         - Molds 
         - Fungi
         - Yeasts

      b) Physical Hazard (i.e)
         - Glass
         - Tacks/ nails
         - Toothpicks/ woodchips
         - Steelwood
         - Non-Edible garnishes ( poison flower)
         - Hair
         - Paperclips
         - Rubber band

       c) Chemical Hazards
         - Pesticides/ Insecticides
         - Toxic metals ( nickle lead which found on margarine, mercury found on fishes)
         - Food additives ( Perservative )
         - Bio-engineered + GMO's
         - Cleaning chemicals
         - Ware washing supplies
         - Plant toxin, Fish toxin

  * Bacteria are responsible for a significant percentage of biologically cause food-bourne illness. Among the different conventions for the classification of bacteria, the most relevant to chefs their requirement for oxygen (aerobic/anaerobic/facultative), their effect on people (pathogenic/undesirable/beneficial/benign), and their spore-forming abilities. Aerobic bacteria require present oxygen to grow. Anaerobic bacteria are able to funtion without oxygen.facultative bacteria are able to function with or without oxygen. The higher amount of protein, the greater its potential bacteria growth and food bourne-illness.

 * Viruses do not actually multiply in food, but if through poor sanitation practice a virus contaminated food, comsumption of that food may result in illness. Poor hand-washing after using restroom or infected hepatitis A by eating shelfish harversted from polluted water are examples.

 * Parasites are pathogen that feed on adn take shelter in anothe organism, called a host. The host recieve no benefit from the parasite and, in fact, suffer harm or even death in result. Amebas and various worms such as Thrichinellas spirallis, which is assosiated with pork, are among the parasites that can contaminate the food.
     
    
B. Food infection and intoxication

     Infection is caused by living organism (pathogenics) infected the gastrointestinal system or stomach/ intestinal lining.
     
     Intoxication caused by biological microbes or microorganism release toxin during their life cycle that can contaminate and adulterate food i.e clostridium, botulinum bacteria >> Botulism


C. 5 criteria necessary for pathogenic growth
   
    1. Temperature 
        Danger zone bacteria can grow are between 41 - 135 degree F for more than 2 hours
    2. Time
    3. Foods ( i.e proteins, cooked rices, potatoes, beans)
    4. Water/ Moisture
    5. Ph level


  I.e.   
       - Acid are citric acid, hydrocloric acid, chlorine bleach
       - Moderate/ neutral are meats, poultry, fish, dairy, cooked rice, potatoes, and beans
       - Alkaline on ph 8-10 are salt, sugar and baking soda. And on ph more than 10 is house hold      
         Ammonia.


D. 4 stages of the life of pathogens 

    1. LAG Phase is where when prepare different food without sanitizing the cutting board and knife
        had used
    2. Accelerated Growth
    3. Stationary Phase
    4. Decline Phase/ Death Phase 

E. Storage area in the kitchen. ( 6" from the floor, 2" from the walls)

    . Refrigerator ( 32-40 degree F) Humidity 80-90%
    . Freezers   ( below 0 degree F)
    . Dry stosrage ( 50-60 degree F)
  
   = Cooling liquids (i.e soups, stocks, sauces)

     1. Break them down into smaller volumes and place into stainless steel containers.
     2. Immerse the containers in an ice water bath and stir often.
     3. Drop temperature to 60 degree or below within 30 mins.
     4. Remove from ice bath
     5. Cover, label, date and store.
     6. F.I.F.O ( First In First Out)


   = Temperature ranges for safe handling of food:
       Food must be held below 40 degree F or above 140 degree F. This is for highly hazardous foods, leftover must be reheated to 165 degree F for 15 seconds and serve it immidiatelly or held sbove 140 degree F for service. Leftover can not be reheated over and over, can cause contamination.

   = Method for safety defrosting food that are frozen (THAWING)
   
       - in the refrigerator (below 40 degree).  
       - cold running water, re-circulating water (between 40-60 degree).
       - microwave oven or cooking from the frozen item.

F.  HACCP ( Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points)
    Is  a production control system for the food service industry that emphasizes safety/prevention.

    HACCP programs are: identify, monitor, control. Risk of contamination in food service operation.


Step #1 
 Identify the most potentially dangerous or hazardous food/product in use.

Step #2 
 Indentify the points in your operation that are critical control points to maintain food safety.

Step #3 
 Establish and apply effective control procedures 
   - Critical limit
   - Monitoring
   - Corrective action

Step #4 
 Estsblish documentation
  - recipe cards
  - temperature, time sensitive forms
  - flow charts 
  - employee training records
  - employee health exam result
  - checklist 
  - temperature charts 

Step #5 
 Verify analysis of the safe food risk
  - inspections
  - random lab tests 
  - proper record keeping

Step #6 
 Take
    Corrective 
       Action
  
Step #7
   Document corrective action

Friday, August 13, 2010

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