Food Service In Mental Health Settings
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My Struggle with Butter
June 28th, 2013** The following is the winning article from our blog article writing contest held with the Food and Nutrition Administration students from Humber College. Thomas Kroetsch was the successful blogger! **
“It needs just a touch of butter in the pan with it to enhance the flavor, Tom” were the words my chef told me as I was searing duck tenders. I placed a “healthy” spoonful of butter in the pan, listening to it sizzle, watching it combine with the rendered fat off of the tenders and smelling the intoxicating aroma being produced. Butter, what a wonderful ingredient it is. It is the perfect enhancement to any ingredient that has been caramelized, grilled, charred, poached or any other methods you would like to think of. So why are it and other ingredients getting such a bad rep?
As a young cook with hopes of making it somewhere in the high calibre cuisine field I am introduced to extravagant ingredients on a daily basis. These ingredients are some of the world’s finest foods, cherished by most chefs and can be a huge ordeal for any inexperienced cook who does not know how to handle and cook them properly. Foods like foie gras, smoked pork lardo (pork fat), Reserva Jamon Iberico de Bellota ham (the world’s finest ham that is cured with high amounts of salt and loaded with visible fat running through it) are a great delicacy in the world, and I have had the pleasure to learn and work with them. These are just a few examples of fine ingredients that are not only divine in flavour, but probably not what your Dietitian or Doctor wants to hear you say is a part of your normal diet.
Just like butter these ingredients are simply full of flavour that makes and delivers the elements found in the dish. Which is why it’s hard for me as a cook who is also In a Food and Nutrition program to accept the fact that, maybe these ingredients aren’t as amazing as they are cut out to be? Going to school on a daily basis, learning of the health risks involved with a diet high in fat and sodium and then going into a kitchen and creating dishes that are exceptional in taste and those elements is a little hard to wrap my head around. It is as if I know better on both sides. “This dish has enough butter in it to potentially make me a diabetic!” and “this dish needs the taste and texture of smooth creaminess, could use more egg yolks, 35% cream and clarified butter!”, are some of the typical and exaggerated thoughts that run through my head as I cook.
I feel as though this is a great turning point in the fine dining and nutrition world. The struggle that lies in making food that is healthy with ingredients that are deemed as the very best for taste but yet potential health risks if consumed a few times too many. Trust me, I know I am very new to both fields, but I feel as though this is the boiling point, where the two topics collide and form anew developed system. As students we are being introduced to healthier food alternatives and the benefits of not choosing diets that contain high levels of fat, sodium and other elements that may cause diabetes, obesity, cardio vascular disease and so on. From the perspective of a nutrition student I understand and respect the ideology behind working towards a society that doesn’t have to deal with the complications of these diseases. With that being said, from the perspective of a young cook I fully understand that taste is not something to compromise on, I would not be able to tell my chef “I under seasoned the risotto because I want to reduce the risks of hypertension for the customer”.
An ingredient such as butter and the nutritional knowledge I have learned have become my ying and yang in the kitchen. Butter, along with the other flavourful ingredients are my inspiration and struggle in becoming a chef that can produce innovative dishes that are healthy as well. My challenges will be not to ignore such fine ingredients that are not healthy choices, but to use them in a way that can deliver taste and nutritious value. It will be difficult as I am introduced to many more of these new and exciting foods that carry high fat content and so on, so for now, I’ll work on butter.
Keep Them Sharp
May 28th, 2013Whether you are a young apprentice cook, a master chef, or an “at home cook”; nothing is more important than making sure your knives are sharp. No job or task can be done well in the kitchen when your knife has the cutting capability of a plastic spoon. Cutting is a very crucial step in cooking, it should be precise and accurate, which allows for even cooking and the desired outcome of a product. This is best done with a knife that is sharpened and maintained regularly.
Not only will a sharp knife allow for any cook to cut through prep work: quicker, faster and more accurately, it is safer. A dull knife is something more than the elephant in the kitchen, it’s a potential hazard. Any cutting task for any level of chef or cook becomes challenging when a dull knife is the only tool available. Dull knives tend to slip and slide off of objects you are trying to cut. If your hands happen to be where your knife slips or slides to, well let’s just say it might not end in your favor.
This may sound confusing to some. A sharp knife with greater cutting capabilities, how is that less dangerous than a dull knife? When used properly following the claw technique and appropriate holding position, a sharp knife can be seen as it should be, an amazing tool. Sharp knives allow the cook or chef using it to use less force when cutting and easily slice through most objects. With dull knives, the cutter has to force applied pressure, which may interfere with appropriate holding and hand positioning, meaning higher risk for cuts and serious injuries.
Some readers may have trouble picturing what a sharp knife is, as many may feel the 8 inch chef’s knife they got from the grocery store 6 years ago is still as sharp as a razor. Don’t feel offended if that is you, just know that there are some simple indicators to note that your knife might be dull. Using vegetables such as green onions and tomatoes are great and simple items to test the sharpness of your knife. Remembering to have proper knife handling and hand positioning, slice through a tomato or green onion as thin as possible using minimal force. Do you need much force to even slice through this vegetable? Do you have to do a saw motion as if you’re cutting the branch off a healthy oak tree? Are you cuts separated, or do they all stay somewhat connected? If you find yourself saying yes to any of these questions, your knife is in need of some tender, love and sharpening.
“Well that’s great but how am I going to do that?” You might be asking, which is completely normal as you may have never considered the thought before. I would not suggest asking the gentlemen driving down your street at 5km an hour ringing a bell advertising lawnmower sharpening, this is your knife; you will want a professional. Going to a kitchen equipment supply store is a great start, as some will offer sharpening or provide the tools such as wet stones. They can provide you with the appropriate tools and advice needed to maintain your knife and its sharpness, at affordable prices. Some restaurants offer sharpening either from the chef or sharpening supplier. A quick look under your yellow pages or Google can quickly find you your best choice.
Remember the importance and benefits of a sharp knife. Regularly check the sharpness of your knife when possible. A sharper knife will make things better and safer when you’re cooking!
