Food Safety and Equipment Care

So there are some basic cooking rules and practices which I think a lot of food bloggers take for granted. A lot of people don't understand the things you should and should not do in the kitchen. I will cover the stuff I can think of, and add more in later postings, this might be a little random here and there but over all it should really improve your confidence in the kitchen.

BASIC FOOD SAFETY

You cook for people right? Your friends and family, co-workers, and neighbors. You don't want to kill them or make them really sick do you? Of course you don't. So you need to have good sanitary practices in your kitchen.

Keep your kitchen and work space clean. Every time you cook clean your cook top, and the walls around you stove. Keep your oven hoods clean and grease free. Also sanitize and disinfect your sinks, and counter tops. While you are working keep your area clean and organized. Rinse out your prep dishes as you go, and you will find when it's time to serve your guests you have very little work to do afterward.

Even if you are working in an immaculate kitchen there is still the risk of cross contamination. In a perfect world everyone would have three color coded cutting boards. Red for red meat, blue for white meat, and green for vegetables and fruits. And you would never allow those foods to cross those color boarders during prep. That having been said, in my kitchen I have two cutting boards. This is the minimum allowable if you are going to prep fresh ingredients. One of my cutting boards is glass. This non porous surface is easy to clean and disinfect during the prep process to avoid cross contamination. The other cutting board is wood. I use this one to prep herbs, vegetables, and fruits. And remember to wash your hands often. I am always vigilant about bacteria, it is not a joke, food poisoning can kill you.

CARING FOR YOUR TOOLS

You are an artist. You use tools to create your art. These tools should be properly cared for. Whether you use Wal-Mart brand pots and pans, Or Royal Doulton cookware. If you care for it properly it will serve you well.

Clean your pots and pans IMMEDIATELY after using them. Dry them thoroughly and replace them in a cool dry place. Never use metal utensils on non stick pans, you will scratch off the Teflon coating, and that coating will end up in your food.

Keep your knives sharp. If you own the finest handmade German cutlery it will work for fuck all if its dull and ignored. Your knives should do the work for you. Clean your blades every single time you go from cutting one thing to another (cross contamination!) and when you store them its the same as your pots and pans. Dry them thoroughly and store them in a cool dry place.

Remember to take a great sense of pride in what you do and how you do it. The next installment will be basic cooking procedures. Now go sharpen your knives!