KITCHEN HYGIENE

#">

One of my major pet peeves is seeing someone cook while wearing jewellery.

Why anyone would (for example) mix ingredients with their hands, without first removing their rings, is totally beyond me! Your jewellery may be beautiful, but the microscopic germs lurking on and under its surfaces could put you out of action for days!

No one cares if it costs a gazillion bucks! So before you start cooking, remove the BLING!

It should go without saying, but it's really essential that the rules of good hygiene must be closely followed in the kitchen.

The germs that can cause food poisoning are usually controlled by heating (cooking) and/or chilling (refrigerating) our food, but given half a chance, they can easily spread around the kitchen — via hands, chopping boards, cloths, knives and other utensils.

Here Are some Basic Hygiene Rules You Should Follow in the Kitchen

Rule 1

Clean kitchen surfaces after every stage of preparing your recipe. Try to ‘clean as you go'. This may sound a little obsessive, but it's not.

Raw meat, poultry, fish, eggs and many other raw foods are the most common sources of germs, but they can easily cross-contaminate other foods. After handling these foods, always wash your hands, utensils and surfaces thoroughly before you touch anything else.

Rule 2

One important way of stopping cross-infection is to make sure that you always use a different chopping board for your raw meat and everything else. If you keep one for raw meat and fish, and another for all your other chopping, you will be making a major contribution to your health and kitchen safety.

Rule 3

After use, wash all your dishes and utensils with hot water and dish washing liquid. (Don't just run them under the water faucet!) Change the water regularly, then rinse in clean, hot water. When possible, leave everything to drain until dry.

Rule 4

Use paper towels whenever possible, if you can afford to buy them. Dish towels can be a source of cross-contamination so use them sparingly and change them regularly. Be sure to wash them in a hot-wash cycle.

These tips while seeming so much of a bother do save lives, and keep us all healthy, and help us save face in public. Your kitchen must never be a mess, cos let’s face it, would YOU eat from a dirty kitchen?

KNIFING

A kitchen knife, also known as a chef's knife, is one of the most important and versatile tools in the kitchen. A typical kitchen knife is 8 or 10 inches long with a full tang. If you want to make perfect cuts every time without fatigue, you must hold a kitchen knife properly.


Television chefs perform their knife work like rock guitarists perform solos. There is some showmanship involved in impressively fast chopping, slicing and dicing. But behind the flashy technique are the basics, and then there is the practice. Any chef worth her salt has spent immeasurable hours in the restaurant kitchen, honing her craft by doing prep work. If you chop 10 onions a week in your home, a working cook will probably chop 200. Learning how to prep quickly and efficiently is part of a day's work for a chef, but you can incorporate the same techniques with similar results.

Here are some sure proof tips to get you started on the proper useage of knives

· Sharpen your knife. A dull knife is not only worthless, but it's dangerous because it has the potential to slip and cut you. If you have to push down with anything more than minimal effort, your knife is not sharp enough. The knife should be doing the work, not you. You can have your knives professionally sharpened, learn how to use a sharpening steel or stone, or invest in a home electric knife sharpener, which are relatively inexpensive, long-lasting and easy to use.

· Use the right knife for the job. For general chopping and slicing, a good 10-inch chef’s knife is the standard and worth investing in. There are various weights, sizes and types of metals used in a chef's knife. Find the one that works best for your hand.

· Prepare a solid cutting surface. Use a cutting board or a butcher's block, making sure you have a flat surface that won't bounce around while chopping. If you have a stainless steel or other slippery surface, a good tip is to place a towel underneath the board to keep it from moving while you work.

· Hold the knife properly. You don't want to clench the handle as if you're waging battle; a firm but yielding grasp will do. Keep your wrist loose. If you watch the professionals, there is a flow to their hand that makes the work look effortless. Again, it's the knife's job to chop; you're just there to guide it through the proper paces.

· Keep your non-cutting hand safe. Some people like to curl the fingers under, so the knuckles are resting on the vegetable being cut. Others like to use a little more pressure and use just the tips of their fingers. You should use whatever technique is most comfortable for you and anchors the food well, but most professionals will teach you to curl your fingers under.

· Cut food with an even, steady motion. The knife should not leave the cutting surface; you don't want to saw at the food. Gently use the downward tip of the knife to leverage your next cut.

· Take a class. Take a look at your kitchen gadget store and see if it is offering any classes on knife technique. These types of classes are becoming more popular and can offer hands-on practice with a professional showing you the way.

cooking is fun and easy.... just follow the rules