Soft boiled eggs	SIMMER 3 to 5 minutes
Medium boiled eggs	SIMMER 7 to 8 minutes
Hard boiled eggs	SIMMER about 15 minutes

SIZE	USAGE
13/15	for smoking
16/20	shrimp cocktail
26/30	canapes
any size	shrimp salad

CUT	USAGE
Top Round of beef	Cold sliced roasted beef
Beef tenderloin	Buffet showpiece mirrors
Whole Pork leg	Sandwiches, buffets, show piece
Whole Chicken	Sandwiches, buffets, picnic baskets, box lunch
Chicken Breast	Sandwiches, buffets, box lunch
Turkey Breast	Sandwiches, buffets
Whole Turkey	Buffets and show pieces

FAT	INFORMATION
LARD	Comes from the hog, The best quality is called "Leaf Lard". Still has quite a bit of use in food service preps, especially in the pastry shop. Look for Lard that has been " Kettle Rendered"
SUET	Comes from the fat of beef animals. Most of these fats are eventually hydrogenated to make them solid at room temperature, increase melting and burning points and eliminate objectionable flavors.Has very limited current use.

**MOST COMMONLY USED OILS**
OIL	INFORMATION
OLIVE	Comes from the crushing and pressing of the meat of the ripe olives. The oil has many variations, but can generally be referred to as "fruity" in taste. The oil obtained from the first cold pressing is the highest quality and most desired and known as" virgin" olive oil. This should be used as a seasoning like a condiment to add flavor to dishes. The other classifications are extra virgin; superfine; fine; virgin; pure; olive oil, in descending order of quality.
SOY	Comes from the seeds of the soybean. This is one of the most produced oils, and has a fairly pronounced flavor and is considered a medium to heavy oil. Fairly good for frying and cold kitchen work.
PEANUT	Comes from the fruit of the peanut plant, has a very mild flavor and high burning point if well refined. This oil is good for frying but goes rancid quickly in the cold kitchen unless it is of the highest quality. Does not like frequent. temperature changes.
CORN	Comes from the corn plant. It is an inexpensive and versitile oil with hardly any flavor. Recommended for frying and cold kitchen work.

**LESS COMMONLY USED OILS**
OIL	INFORMATION
RAPESEED	Comes from a special turnip plant seed. Yields a delicate oil used in salads, baking and margarine production.
SUNFLOWER	Comes from the seeds of the sunflower. This is a very light and delicate, high quality oil which should be used light sauteing or in cold preps only.
COTTONSEED	Extracted from the seeds of the cotton plant and is one of the least desireable and cheapest oils to use. Mainly used for mayonnaise, salad dressing and cheap shortening production commercially
CANOLA	Very low in saturated fats, this delicate oil is currently very popular and is very versatile.
SESAME	Are two types both of which are dervided from the sesame seeds. Regular is a very high quality, light oil rich in essential fatty acids. The darker Oriental oil comes from roasted sesame seeds and is used for flavoring as it has a low burning point.

THE COLD KITCHEN (part I)

Sanitation / Equipment / Cheese & Dairy / Eggs / Cold Cuts / Seafood / Meats & Poultry / Condiments & Oils /

MISSION STATEMENT

The Cold Kitchen or the "Garde Manger" is the area where we centralize and concentrate on the production of foods presented cold. Many of the items need to be cooked before they are worked on here, but in the end, all presentations from the garde manger are cold.

Description/Goal

By our own definition of what cooking is, the cold kitchen is not a "real" area of cooking, but is concerned with the prepartion of foods. However, in the preparation of some of the items you will need to know how to cook, so here is where you will begin to learn some of the basic and fundamental techniques of cooking.

Sanitation/Food Handling

The cleaning of your work area, and the maintaining of it's hygienic state is much more critical here than in the areas of the hot kitchen, for the following reasons:

Because a number of the products utilized here are not cooked, the potential of bacterial contamination is much higher. Because the bacterias have not been killed by the application of heat, therefore the foods have not been sterilized

Now would be a good time to review the information you have been given concerning the Danger Zone for food handling >>> remember that between 40 degress F- 140 degrees F is the dangerous range for the handling of foods.

In this area, it is most important to report immediately any refrigerator that does not seem to be operating properly. Often, just the change in smells inside of the walk-in indicate that it is not "retarding" the spoilage of the food properly, i.e; the refrigeration system is not up to par. .

It is most important to sanitize and wash your equiptment here to avoid cross contamination.

Likewise, the sanitation and cleaning of your food products is of the utmost importance. If you are washing produce, do it in a clean sink >> wash it and take it out, do not leave it there for someone to dump a dirty pot or water into to it.
Personal hygine is extremely important here, and our earlier rules governing this point must be followed. Your hands, uniform, and all other food contact areas must be clean, and kept clean during the food processing time. Where and whenever possible, the plastic disposable food handling gloves should be used >> especially so when mixing sauces into foods.
Like personal hygine, the actual handling of food items in the cold kitchen require strict attention to the techniques of sanitation
- The rotation of your material, raw and finished product must be carefully controlled and monitored to avoid spoilage and the most efficient usage of the raw materials.
- It is especially important to keep all foodstuffs off the floor, both outside and inside the refrigerators.
- To preserve the freshness, flavor, and sanitation of the cold kitchen products, all items in process, or finished must be wrapped with clear plastic film. This will also allow the items to be transported to its final destination in a clean, sanitary and presentable manner. Remember to use the plastic film freely, but do not waste it.

Equipment

The following is a list of the food processing machinery that presently exists in the cold kitchen. All these items are dangerous, expensive, and very helpful. Make sure that the chef of the cold kitchen instructs you fully in the setting up, proper usage, and cleaning and breaking down of each piece of equipment in this area. Remember that each machine is designed to do certain functions, so do not misuse any of these labor saving devices.
1. Floor Mixer
  A large and powerful all purpose machine that is used to mix sauces, whip butter, mix pate blends, and attach other accesories.
2. HCM (horizontal cutting machine)
  An extremely useful machine for the cutting, chopping or pureeing of large quantities of soups, vegetables, mousses, etc.
3. Slicer
  One of the most used and useful items in any kitchen, here it used mainly to slice/ meats, cheeses, vegetables, fruits, even bread for canapes. One of the most dangerous machines in the kitchen due to the inattention of the persons using it. There is a "pusher" that should be used to handle the item being sliced, use it or you stand a good chance of slicing off your thumb or finger.
4. Food Processor (Robo Coupe)
  Basically is used for the same preperations as the HCM but for smaller quantities. Has a variety of blades that can be used. This machine must be used as directed or you can cut off your hand. Respect the safety features and do not try to circumvent them, they are for your protection.
5. Vegetable & Cheese cutter (Robo Coupe)
  Looks similiar to the above machine, but has a much different cutting blade, and is used to grate, julienne, slice and dice vegetables and cheeses and some kinds of meats. Has many different sizes and styles of attachment blades and graters.
6. Juice Extractor
  Used to extract the fresh juice from oranges and grapefruits and lemon/limes. Each fruit requires a different size head for the machine to affect the maximum extraction of the juice. Simple to use, but remember to wash the citrus before slicing and jucing, and to wipe down the machine after use. This is the type of machinery that should be cleaned by the person who uses it, not a dishwasher or steward.

Small Equipment

The following is a list of what you must report to work with each shift.
- Uniform
  Clean, with hat or hair net.
- Pairing knife
  small knife for fine work like deboning or carving vegetables or working with fruits.
- Chef's Knife
  For chopping and cutting.
- Vegetable Peeler
  For cleaning and preparing vegetables.
- Parisienne scooper
  For carving vegetable and fruit balls for salads and decorations.

Product Identification

It will really be during your exposure to the raw materials in ths Cold Kitchen that you will set your foundation for the professional kitchen.

Produce (fruits, vegetables, herbs)

Learn how to identify and distinguish these items because they are the "bread and butter" of the cold kitchen. This is a process of experience, and will come with time.

Learn how to wash, clean, & trim >> remember each vegetable and fruit has it's particular shape, and when cleaning or shaping be sure to respect its natural form and shape; you will be much more sucessful for it.

Learn how to store the different items, what temperature is best for what items and why.

Cheese and Dairy Products

Milk
For our definition refers to the milk of cows, and contains fat, minerals, vitamins, protein and sugar. Worldwide, many different kinds of "milks" are consumed and this is a very cultural phenomena. For our use, cow's milk should appear smooth, free of any clumps or dirt, and be odor free and sweet tasting. Milk is one of the most complete food items available, and it's derivatives are used in numerous ways. For vegetarians, there are many substitutes, soy milk and almond milk being two of the most common and nutritious. The most frequently used milk derivitives in the cold kitchen are;

Butter
Is made from the cream of the milk and is seperated by agitation. In the United States, must contain at least 80% Milk Fats by weight, may or may not have salt and additional color added, and must be exclusively made from milk or heavy cream. The USDA has 4 grades, AA, A, B, C, based on taste, fresheness, consistency and other factors, with AA being the best grade. Remember that butter is very odor sensivtive, and absorbs odors very readily and should therefore be kept well wrapped in the refrigerator and stored at 35 degrees F. Butter can be frozen with little quality loss. .

Yogurt
Is usually made from partially pastuerized and homogenized skim milk, that is inoculated and incubated for 2 hours at 105 to 115 degress F, then cooled to 35-40 degrees F to stop the process. The result is a smooth clabbered product. Natural or fruit flavored, it is most often used on buffets or in the production of molds or mousses. Look for the label which indicates active cultures present, this means it is a live product.

Heavy Cream
Heavy or whipping cream is that part of the natural, whole milk that rises to the surface due to it's higher fat content, and must contain between 32% and 40% milk fat. Depending on the length and number of times of the "rising" of the cream are produced a number of varieties of creams such as Devonshire Cream or single and double and triple creams. In the cold kitchen, this product is often used to enrichen sauces, or whipped up and folded into mousses and other preparations.When whipping be careful not to overwhip or you will produce butter and old fashioned butter milk.

Sour Cream
A minimum of 18% milk fat, this is made by adding a lactic acid bacteria culture to heavy cream and curing for about 24 hours at 68 degress F. Used in dips and cold sauces.

Cheese
For our definition is a milk product that is obtained by separating and concentrating the solid protein part of the milk from the liquid, or whey part. The process of separation of this "curd" from the "whey" is accomplished through a variety of processes (heating, agiatation, filtering with pressure using cheese cloth, and centrifuging), each cheese maker having his own "secret" process, but generally relying on two basic helpers; (1) enzymes and (2) acid producing bacterias.The final product's flavor is a complex result of these many factors listed below;

Type of milk use (cow/sheep/goat/etc.)

Method used for separating the curd from the whey

Whether the cheese is a fresh, "unripened" cheese or an aged, "ripened" cheese

Types of bacterias, molds, seasonings, salts, or other condiments used in the process

The controlled climatic conditions of the ripening or aging process

Whether a cooking process, utilizing heating and cooling, was involved

Time allowed for cheese to age

Most cheeses are best served at room temperature to appreciate their flavor and texture. Being dairy products, they should be refrigerated for storage, but never frozen!
Once cheese has been cut, it is best to keep it wrapped in plastic film, to prevent flavor loss.
For our use, we can classify cheeses into four catagories, hard cheeses, semi-hard, soft and blue cheeses. When cutting hard cheeses, be careful with the knife as it tends to jump around. Large pieces are best broken down with the butcher's saw.

Hard Cheeses

Examples are Parmesano, Romano, Gruyere,Emmenthal, aged cheddar, provolone;
Basically these are cheeses that are usually grated for use.

Semi-Hard Cheeses

Examples are Bel Paese, Edam, Gouda, Muenster, Port du Salud;
These cheeses often accompany fruit on a buffet.

Soft Cheeses

Examples are Brie, Camambert, Boursin, Curd cheeses such as cottage or ricotta cheese fall into this class;
These cheeses are usually sliced or cubed to be used on sandwiches or on buffets.

Blue Cheeses

Examples are Stilton, Gorgonzola, Roquefort, Danish Blue;
These cheeses are often used as dessert cheeses.

Eggs
Eggs are one of the most versatile, nutritious, and most fundamental ingredients in the various professional kitchens. They are used in all phases and areas of the hotel kitchens, from soups to sauces, desserts, appetizers and emulsions. The proper understanding of the usage and handling of this raw material is essential for quality cold kitchen work.

Basic Structure
The egg's basic structure is the following:

SHELL high in mineral content

YOLK protein plus high fat (cholesterol) content plus lecithin, a natural emulsifier

WHITE protein plus water

There are various other membranes that protect the yolk and the general freshness which are not important for us in our in food handling or cooking. In general a fresh egg will contain about 75 calories.

Grades
In the U.S. grading of eggs is not mandatory but voluntary, with the producer paying a fee to have federal inspectors certifying their quality. Based on the interior quality of the egg and the appearance of the shell, three basic grades exisit: AA; A; B .The shell color has nothing to do with the egg quality but is a matter of the species and breed of the hen laying the eggs. Likewise, size and quality are two independent variables that have nothing to do with each other.

Storage
Since eggs are such a rich nutritional enviroment, I recommend that they be stored under refrigeration at no more than 45 degress F. Bring them up to room temperature before using.

Buying
No matter which size you choose, look for all the eggs to be clean, free of dirt and animal matter or feathers. Shells should be firm and not fragile, and the size should all be very similiar. The vendor should ideally transport them under refrigeration.

Cooking
In the cold kitchen, eggs are mainly "hard boiled" then used for salads, sandwiches, buffets and show piece decorations. The two rules most important in egg cookery are;
(1) Use as short a cooking time as possible
(2) Use as low a cooking temperature as possible.

Hard Boiled Eggs
These are eggs cooked in their shells in water. They should Never be boiled, rather simmered in water between 185 - 195 degrees F. A touch of vinegar will help to coagulate the egg whites if the shell has been cracked, and prevent the whites from running out into the water. If cooked too long or boiled the protein toughens and becomes rubbery and a dark ring forms between the yolk and the white. The proper procedure to cook eggs in the shell is the following:

Soft boiled eggs SIMMER 3 to 5 minutes
Medium boiled eggs SIMMER 7 to 8 minutes
Hard boiled eggs SIMMER about 15 minutes
Always allow the eggs to cool completely before slicing or chopping by pacing under cold running water. For sandwiches use an egg slicer.

Peeling
To correctly peel a hard cooked egg gently roll the "pointed"end to crack the shell then place it under cool running water and proceed to remove the shell working downwards from the cracked part, discarding the shell under the running water. Continue peeling and rinsing until all the shell has been removed.

Colds Cuts and Sandwich Meats

The industry of preparing Cold Cuts and Sandwich Meats is quite specialized, with a wide variety of choices and quality.The most frequently used in our Cold Kitchen are the following;

Cooked Turkey Breast Salami

Picnic Ham Roast Beef

Roast Chicken Mortadella

Capacolla Ham Chopped Beef

Serrano Ham Roasted Pork Leg

These items are best sliced to order, and the thinner the slice the better the flavor. Always remove the casing or the skin of the item before slicing.

Breads and Pastries

Breads;
Most of the bakery products used in the cold kitchen are for sandwich and canape production. The following are the most frequently used breads.

Sandwich Bread, White or Whole Wheat
Used for making sandwiches, finger and tea sandwiches and cut for canapes.

French Bread or Baguettes
Used for making sandwiches, especially for picnic baskets and buffet mirrors.

Assorted dinner rolls
Used for making deluxe individual sandwiches, eg., prosciutto ham, smoked salmon, lobster, etc.

Pasteries;
Most of the pastery products used in the cold kitchen are for use in box lunches and picnic baskets. Remember they must be of the kind that can travel and be cooled in an ice chest.

Large Cookies and French Pasteries
Carrot Cake, Cheese Cake

Seafoods of the Cold Kitchen

Lobster Tail
Will almost always be boiled and used for lobster salad or medallions for canapes. Size selected will depend on use. For canapes choose all the same size, small to medium. For lobster salads, mixed sizes will do.

Whole Lobster
Will almost always be boiled and presented on mirrors for buffet show pieces .

Shrimps
Will be boiled and used for salad or for canapes, or marinated and then smoked for special salads and hors d'oeuvres.

SIZE USAGE

13/15 for smoking

16/20 shrimp cocktail

26/30 canapes

any size shrimp salad

Fresh Whole Salmon
Will usually be marinated for appetizers or salads or smoked.

Fresh Grouper
Will usually be cubed and used for ceviche or marinated for smoking.

Fresh Snapper
Will usually be cubed and used for ceviche or marinated for smoking.

Smoked Salmon
Used in canapes, salads and deluxe sandwiches.

Meats and Poultry of the Cold Kitchen

Meats and Poultry;
These will almost always be large joints or loins, and will invariably be roasted.

CUT USAGE

Top Round of beef Cold sliced roasted beef

Beef tenderloin Buffet showpiece mirrors

Whole Pork leg Sandwiches, buffets, show piece

Whole Chicken Sandwiches, buffets, picnic baskets, box lunch

Chicken Breast Sandwiches, buffets, box lunch

Turkey Breast Sandwiches, buffets

Whole Turkey Buffets and show pieces

Condiments and Canned Goods
In the cold kitchen you will encounter a large number of different non-perishable items. They are used in day-to-day production and for buffet decorations as well.

FATS and OILS;
In general there are two kinds of fats in the world;
Animal Fats which contain cholesterol
Vegetable Fats or Oils which have no cholesterol.

Animal Fats
These fats come from the "rendering" of animal fat tissue to produces fat of varying qualities depending on what animal, anatomical source of the fat that is processed and the rendering process used. Generally, this is a very heavy and unhealthy kind of shortening or fat to use, it's only redeeming quality being it's flavor and low cost.

FAT INFORMATION

LARD Comes from the hog, The best quality is called "Leaf Lard". Still has quite a bit of use in food service preps, especially in the pastry shop. Look for Lard that has been " Kettle Rendered"

SUET Comes from the fat of beef animals. Most of these fats are eventually hydrogenated to make them solid at room temperature, increase melting and burning points and eliminate objectionable flavors.Has very limited current use.

Vegetable Fats and Oils
These fats and oil are derived from non-animal sources. The best are "Cold Pressed" products that originate from the seeds of plants, the meat of olives, and other fruits, nuts and vegetables. The process by which the oil is obtained is very important with solvent extraction being the least desirable as it will also extract pesticide residues. Hot extraction or "hot pressing" is not reserved for the highest quality oils and usually takes place at around 180 degrees F. whereas cold pressing will not exceed 115 degrees F. After extracting the oils are refined or processed which involves removing any foreign particles, odors and flavors. At room temperature, most vegetable oils are liquid so this makes handling and measuring easy. Professional kitchens require a variety of oils and fats. Store at around 70 degrees F. Once opened, use the oil or fat up as soon as possible, because light, moisture and air tend to destroy the goodness of the product and turn the oil rancid. REMEMBER, butter and margarine are fats with margarine having no animal product.
NOTE; The shortening you select for deep frying is Very critical. It should be of the highest quality and liquid at body temperature. If not the body will have a difficult time digesting the food, and even if you fry the highest quality ingredients, if you use a cheap, indigestible oil the consumer will blame his stomach ache on the "cheap food" and not return.

MOST COMMONLY USED OILS
OIL INFORMATION

OLIVE Comes from the crushing and pressing of the meat of the ripe olives. The oil has many variations, but can generally be referred to as "fruity" in taste. The oil obtained from the first cold pressing is the highest quality and most desired and known as" virgin" olive oil. This should be used as a seasoning like a condiment to add flavor to dishes. The other classifications are extra virgin; superfine; fine; virgin; pure; olive oil, in descending order of quality.

SOY Comes from the seeds of the soybean. This is one of the most produced oils, and has a fairly pronounced flavor and is considered a medium to heavy oil. Fairly good for frying and cold kitchen work.

PEANUT Comes from the fruit of the peanut plant, has a very mild flavor and high burning point if well refined. This oil is good for frying but goes rancid quickly in the cold kitchen unless it is of the highest quality. Does not like frequent. temperature changes.

CORN Comes from the corn plant. It is an inexpensive and versitile oil with hardly any flavor. Recommended for frying and cold kitchen work.

LESS COMMONLY USED OILS
OIL INFORMATION

RAPESEED Comes from a special turnip plant seed. Yields a delicate oil used in salads, baking and margarine production.

SUNFLOWER Comes from the seeds of the sunflower. This is a very light and delicate, high quality oil which should be used light sauteing or in cold preps only.

COTTONSEED Extracted from the seeds of the cotton plant and is one of the least desireable and cheapest oils to use. Mainly used for mayonnaise, salad dressing and cheap shortening production commercially

CANOLA Very low in saturated fats, this delicate oil is currently very popular and is very versatile.

SESAME Are two types both of which are dervided from the sesame seeds.
Regular is a very high quality, light oil rich in essential fatty acids.
The darker Oriental oil comes from roasted sesame seeds and is used for flavoring as it has a low burning point.

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SHELL	high in mineral content
YOLK	protein plus high fat (cholesterol) content plus lecithin, a natural emulsifier
WHITE	protein plus water

Cooked Turkey Breast	Salami
Picnic Ham	Roast Beef
Roast Chicken	Mortadella
Capacolla Ham	Chopped Beef
Serrano Ham	Roasted Pork Leg