Category: Foods

How To Keep Your Food Warm With A Food Warmer

When you work in catering you know the importance of keeping the food youve worked hard to prepare warm. However, if youve ever gone shopping for a food warmer you may have become overwhelmed by the sheer amount of machines there are on the market for keeping your food hot. If youve ever felt clueless about food warmers, what they do, and which ones will work best for you below is a list to get you started in the crowded world of food warmers.

Full Sized Warmers are the large food warmers that you often find at large events or hotel banquets. They hold large pans of food in place while hot water is placed in the bottom pan to keep the food hot and moist. Some full size warmers are quite big and designed to hold more than one full-sized pan of food. Other units are smaller. When you purchase a full sized warmer keep in mind that the warmer itself only holds hot water; you will need to buy the pans to hold the food separately.

If you plan to offer a lot of food, such as at a buffet, then you might want to invest in heated shelves which can keep food warm for long periods of time. Heated shelves are different from full size warmers since you dont have to worry about filling trays of hot water. They come in different sizes, and they are offered with different wattage points; bigger shelves need more wattage.

Another warmer type that utilizes water to heat foods is a round countertop food warmer. These types of food warmers are used for soups, gravies, and other liquid-based foods. You simply place hot water into the round countertop warmer and place a separate insert holding the food inside. Once your warmer is setup you can place a lid over the warmer to keep the warmth from escaping as fast. Lids can be hinged or unhinged. These inserts sometimes need to be bought separately so always double-check before you buy this type of warmer whether you will need to supply your own insert.

Like round countertop food warmers, soup food warmers keep liquid-based foods like soups and stews warm. Some soup food warmers are electric allowing the operator to adjust the temperature accordingly. These warmers also usually come with an insert to place the food into before placing into the warmer.

Strip Heaters are similar to trays, but they are primarily used to keep food warm until it is served out. They are not commonly used at buffets or anywhere where a customer would come into contact with it, and instead are a stopping off point between the kitchen and the table. Some strip heaters are hotter than others so you will want to research each before purchasing as the hotter a heater is the more chances there are that the food placed on top will dry out.

Make Your Own Gourmet Meals Easily and at an Affordable Price as a Food Menu for any Occasion

Love gourmet quality food products, you can get a fancy restaurant? How about fine dining recipes dream to build yourself your family? They are actually easier than you think if you only know some of the trade secrets. Spices and add “secret” ingredients will enhance your dishes with the food in the stratosphere, which is the science of flavorings and some very simple assistants, such as spices and other flavor enhancers added at just the right time. Study online recipes that sound good to you for the inside info on what works and why. Experiment with small recipes and let your children or friends will taste testers, who can give you honest opinions about what works and what does not!

Everybody loves a great burger, and when you add the cheese and bacon, it almost becomes a religious experience. A burger you can eat at a fancy restaurant looked like they were from another world, as a number of minor changes. Gourmet food menu is the key to the elegant part. Whether it’s a birthday, wedding, anniversary or any other special occasion gourmet foods will add elegance and style, as well as a delicious feast for your guests.

What is the best gourmet food menu? How to decide which gourmet foods to choose for your party? We have put together a brief guide map, a gourmet delight in the world.

If you are planning a bridal shower, you can rely on easy snack. Get some cream cheese, chop the onion and mix well together. Add a tablespoon Jalapeno and taste with your favorite cheese. Form balls and put them in the fridge to chill well. Get a variety of cheese dips range balls – salty or sweet more exotic touch. Cheese balls can be up to 48 hours ahead, so you will have enough time to focus on other things country.

Liberally sprinkled with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper over the patties and then put them aside for 20 minutes so that they warm up to room temperature. Heat a non-stick frying pan with 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil added. When the oil is shimmering in the pan put the burger patties, two or three at a time (do not overcrowd the pan). Cook them for 5-7 minutes on each side just until they become crispy and browned on both sides. Add slices of your favorite cheese like Cheddar or Swiss adding cooked pancetta or bacon). Place the patties in the heated (200 degrees) oven to keep warm and melt the cheese.

Romantic Valentine’s Day Dinner will be a perfect addition to the menu of romantic touches. Red wine is the most common drink in such a case. Accompany it with a gourmet cheese plate. If you are not sure what kind of cheese is the best, just buy a cheese gift basket. There is wine included in most of them and cheese basket perfectly wines. Furthermore, a gourmet cheese basket is perfect because you can easily move the “dinner” before the fireplace or bedroom.

Slice potatoes into French fry shapes and add to the pot half full with vegetable oil or a deep fryer. The temperature should be 350-375 degrees. Cook the potatoes for about 5 minutes or until they are browning drain and sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper.

Buns can be whatever your family likes, such as wheat, poppy seed or (gourmet chef’s favorite), and Ciabatta bun. Collect burgers, add mustard, ketchup, mayonnaise, or whatever condiments you want a family, including red onion, lettuce and tomato. It does gourmet burgers a full meal in itself, and actually healthy.

Saltan Salts Provide Best Quality of Gourmet Salts and Finishing Salts

Almonds and Cholesterol – Are Almonds a Heart-Healthy Snack

Almonds and Cholesterol: Are Almonds Really a Heart-Healthy Snack?

It seems that many people are experiencing confusion over almonds and if they should or shouldn’t be included as part of a heart healthy diet. On one hand, almonds are reported to lower bad LDL cholesterol. On the other hand, almonds are a calorie-dense food that’s also high in fat.

Numerous studies, including one by the British Journal of Medicine, has shown convincing evidence that regular almond consumption helps lower bad LDL cholesterol. And not just any LDL, but it’s been shown to reduce the small dense LDL particles that do the most damage to your arterial walls and puts you at a much higher risk of cardiovascular disease.

So what about the question of almonds being high in fat? Over 60% of the fat content in almonds is monounsaturated fats. (This is the same type of fat that is found in olive oil.) Monounsaturated fat is widely accepted to be a key ingredient to reducing the risk of heart disease and part of a heart-healthy diet.

But the health benefits of almonds doesn’t stop with having healthy natural fat and it’s ability to lower low-density lipoproteins. Almonds pack an antioxidant punch with it’s high levels of Vitamin E. And with over 60 mg of magnesium in a quarter-cup of almonds, that’s just more good news for your heart. You see, magnesium has been shown to help improve blood flow and make things ‘easy’ on your veins and arteries. (Translation: Less stress and work for your heart.)

Concerned about adding too many calories if you start eating almonds? Truth is, almonds have been shown to be beneficial at helping aid weight loss. But if you are just a little too ‘scared’ to add more calories, do this…

Substitute almonds for other foods vs. adding almonds to your existing diet. In fact, it’s been estimated by some researchers based on date from a Nurses Health Study that replacing carbohydrates with healthy nuts like almonds may low the risk of heart disease by as much as 30%. The risk may be lowered as much as 45% if you substitute nuts with saturated fats like those founds in meat and dairy.

Looking for some ways to add almonds to your diet? Try these…

– Add almonds to your salad instead of meat or croutons
– Add to your morning cereals (hot or cold)
– Add to yogurt for a tasty crunch
– Add sliced almonds to vegetable dish (great with green beans)
– Eat with a sandwich as a crunchy substitute for chips
– Two words: Almond butter!

And not surprising, eating almond as a “whole food” is optimal for maximum health benefits. The antioxidant punch mentioned previously is more than doubled when the skins are combined with the meat of the almond, compared to either one separately.

How to Read Food Labels

Nutrients

This refers to the list of central nutrients in a particular item. It is also where the restriction claims of the product based on the recommended daily undernourishment grant are mentioned. Oftentimes, the nutritional amounts are based on both the 2,500-calorie diets and the 2,000 recommended hunger allowances.

In order to discern the numeric value of each item, you should know that the “daily value” for the nutrients.

3. Program

This refers to the list of the ingredients that were used to manufacture the outgrowth. The listing is usually arranged from the main ingredients that have the greater amount by counterweight up to the fig quantity. This simply means that the actual quantity of the food takes the biggest quantity of the main ingredient or the first item and the minimum amount of the very last element.

4. Label claim

This attributes to the kinds of nutritional claims of a particular food item. For instance, if an item says it is Pentothal-free, it has less than 5 milligrams per serving or a low fat item not absolutely contains 3 grams of fat or less.

Indubitably, reading food labels can be very tedious and equivocal saying. Nevertheless, once you get the hang of it, it sham* be allay for you to watch your diet now you can already control the amount of food that you take. KC Jackson, World Trade Marketing, http://www.wtm-income.net/foodar/index.php

Important Food Safety Terms You Should Know

Understanding food safety techniques first requires an understanding of key terms and concepts. This article will define and explain some of the most important terms you need to know to keep you and your family healthy.

BACTERIA: Microorganisms that can cause food borne illness and food spoilage. Bacteria are more commonly involved in food-related illness than viruses, fungi, or parasites. Some bacteria spores can survive freezing and high temperatures.

CONTAMINATION: The presence of harmful substances in food. Some contamination occurs naturally. Some may be introduced by humans or other environmental agents.

CROSS-CONTAMINATION: When harmful substances or bacteria is physically transferred from one source (e.g. human) to another.

FOOD CONTACT SURFACE: Any surface that touches food.

FOODBORNE ILLNESS: Sickness or disease transmitted to people via food.

FUNGI: Molds and yeasts are examples of fungi. Fungi can range in size from microscopic single-celled organisms to large, multi-cellular organisms. Fungi are often the cause of food spoilage.

INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT: Programs to prevent pests from infesting food sources and serving establishments and measures to eliminate any pest intrusions.

MICROORGANISMS: Tiny living organisms that can be seen using a microscope.
The four types of microorganisms that can contaminate food and cause food borne illness are bacteria, viruses, parasites and fungi.

PARASITE: An organism that needs a host organism to survive. Parasites can live inside many animals that are used for food including cows, chickens, pigs and fish. Proper heating, cooking and freezing kills parasites. Avoiding cross-contamination and proper hand washing is also vital in preventing food borne illness caused by parasites.

PATHOGENS: Microorganisms that cause disease including disease in food.

POTENTIALLY HAZARDOUS FOOD: Types of food in which microorganisms are able to grow quickly. Potentially hazardous food groups often has a history of being involved in food borne illness outbreaks, has potential for contamination due to methods used to produce and process it, and has characteristics that generally allow microorganisms to thrive. Potentially hazardous food is often moist, high in protein, and chemically neutral or slightly acidic.

PRODUCE TRACEABILITY: The ability to accurately track fresh produce from its point of origin (field) to the time of purchase by the end consumer. Complete traceability, known as whole chain traceability.

SANITIZE: The action and process of reducing the number of harmful microorganisms on a surface to make it safe for contact with food.

TOXINS: Harmful substances or poisons.

VIRUS: The smallest microbial food contaminants. Viruses require a live host to survive and reproduce. Virus usually contaminates food via a food handlers insufficient and improper handling and hygiene. Virus can survive some cooking and freezing temperatures.

The 15 terms described above are examples of the most important core food safety terms. Use this information to as a starting point for your deeper research.