The Chinese people have grown and drunk tea for hundreds of years but wasn’t introduced to Britain until the middle of the sixteen hundreds where it was first seen in the coffee houses of London where the wealthy were to be found and a pamphlet was issued explaining what it was all about. However, Chinese tea culture dictates that everyone drinks tea, rich or poor, whether as part of a ritual or just as a reviving beverage.

Chinese tea is classified in “colours” which are Red, Yellow, White, Dark, Oolong and Green resulting from the amount of oxidisation of the leaf and also from the process it undergoes once picked.

Red tea is the forerunner of Western black teas and has a rich flavour. However, although it is the most drunk tea in the world, it isn’t particularly popular in China.

Yellow tea is the most rare of Chinese teas and only three varieties remain. People are intrigued by its rarity and are therefore buying it more and more.

White tea is also extremely rare as it is made only from the buds and selected leaves of the plant. It undergoes very little processing thus retaining its health benefits.

Dark tea is often confused with black tea but it has little similarity. Much of it is exported and it has a strong aroma and flavour.

Oolong tea is very delicate and fragrant and is somewhat popular in China.

However, it is Green tea that is the most popular of the Chinese tea culture, in part because of its healthy properties, being rich in Vitamin C, isoflavones and antioxidants which help to cleans the blood stream of cell damaging atoms, thus improving the health of the cardio vascular system.

Although tea does have health benefits, the Chinese don’t obsess about health the way the Western world does these days. Chinese tea culture is such that tea is drunk because people like it as an adjunct to food and also to sociability and as such is part of the Chinese way of life.

The food style to which tea is considered the most important accompaniment is dim sum. Dim sum is similar to the Spanish tapas in that a selection of small dishes are chosen from a trolley, often different types of dumplings and small cakes.

No meal in China is complete without tea served in a traditional cup without handles. Chinese tea is considered flavoursome enough on its own and is never served with milk, sugar or lemon and is used to refresh the palette in between different choices of dim sum.

Many years ago food handlers just donned a pinafore, rolled up their sleeves and prepared foods in the ways taught at Grandma’s knee.

Because the people consuming the foods were in the main from the same family or local village surrounded by identical bacteria and hazards, these consumers were seldom struck down by food poisoning or viruses because their tolerance to such local dangers had grown over the years as a form of natural defence.

But then over time, an era of comparative mass production became the order of the day with staff canteens, affordable high street snack bars and diners. The range of foods and production methods changed significantly and food borne bacteria were allowed to flourish creating a need for greater consideration towards food handling techniques and controls that by necessity were then forced into place.

It is from this period that the need to wash hands before handling food came to the fore. Refrigeration of certain high risk products became the norm and the old fashion belief that all air tight packaged foods were safe became dispelled with the identification of anaerobic bacteria in products such as corned beef and tinned salmon.

The more our foods and eating habits changed, the greater became the need for a rethink of how our very foods should be grown, harvested, cooked and served.

But never in the course of food history has produce been as internationally available as it is today. Cereals, vegetables, fish, meats, cheese, butter, fruits and all manner of fancies can now be found the world over with production sources originating in every corner of the globe.

High street supermarkets shelves are often stacked with goods from places that have never even heard of modern food hygiene techniques, let alone best packaging and labelling practices and it is for this reason that diverse food consuming nations such as the United Kingdom, Europe and US have found the need to create robust food handling structures and hygiene regulations to protect its people against bacteria and hazards that years of comparatively spotless hygiene have made them highly vulnerable to.

For example, bodies such as the Food Standards Agency in the United Kingdom create a practical methodology of food production and service which is then filtered down with the able assistance of the local council based Environmental Health Officer structure. Training courses have been devised for food handlers such as the Food Hygiene Level 2 Certificate or sometimes called Level 2 Awards in Food Safety.

These have been constructed with the everyday food handler in mind, a qualification that ensures that the fundamentals of safe food handling are understood and the penalties for non compliance clearly spelt out.

Food is one of the most delightful of products known to man, but who knows what would happen if bacteria were allowed free range and national food poisoning became an epidemic.

Think of this the next time you question the benefits of what appears intrusive management of our modern day foods.

Hobson Tarrant, with over thirty years experience in high level catering and a Royal Institute of Public Health and Hygiene award with honours has helped develop the Sureserve2012 Food Hygiene Certificate package which is the first job specific online training course by Torchlight Training2012.
The course is targeted at UK and EC food handlers at all levels and will shortly be followed by additional job specific courses in the Sureserve and Suresell range.

PERCH, OCEAN

The ocean perch is a family of fish closely related to the Pacific rockfish. The ocean perch of the Atlantic are not actually perch. They are a member of the rockfish family. On the Atlantic coast these fish are sometimes sold as redfish because of its bright red color, but it should not be confused with the redfish of the gulf area which is actually a member of the drum family. The Atlantic perch (rockfish) can be found from Maine to Labrador. Known as long jaw rockfish in the Pacific, it can be found in cold water from Alaska to southern California in water up to 1200 feet deep. It has a color that ranges from grayish or brownish red to bright orange with lighter colored sides and belly and can grow to 13 pounds and 24 inches in length. It has a firm texture and is low in fat. It can have a mild to fishy taste depending on where is caught. The best way to cook ocean perch is to pan fry, oven fry, broil or sauté.

ROCKFISH

A close relative of the ocean perch, the rockfish is a large family of fish from the Pacific Ocean found from California to Alaska. There are over 69 varieties of rockfish in the Pacific Ocean and about as many different colors ranging from black to bright orange. In the Atlantic Ocean there are only 4 varieties. Rockfish average from 3 to 4 pounds and 18 inches in length but have been known to grow to 28 pounds. The Pacific rockfish is a very important fish commercially and can be found in water up to 9800 feet deep. Some of the best eating varieties are the orange rockfish, the yellowtail, the boccacio the rasphead and the red rockfish, which is also called yellow eye. The yellow eye rockfish is sometimes mistakenly sold as red snapper. It is one of the most popular of the rockfish with both sport and commercial fishermen because of its size, taste and ease of filleting. Rockfish are one of the longest living fish in the sea, often lasting over 100 years. Many varieties of rockfish have been over fished, therefore tighter fishing restrictions have been placed on them. The meat from rockfish has a firm, layered texture that is low in fat and fairly mild in flavor. The best way to cook rockfish is to sauté, pan fry, oven fry, deep fry, bake, broil or poach.

Hi! My name is Tom. I worked for 40 years buying and selling fish in the retail market. After years I found out people don’t want complicated recipes for cooking fish. They want simple and easy cooking instructions. I have a site that lists and describes most types of fish found in the United States with recommendations and easy instructions on how to cook them. If you want to learn how to bake, broil, deep fry, oven fry, pan fry, poach, sauté or steam fish the easy way, check these out.

Americans have a love affair with food and one of the favorites is pizza. Various types are enjoyed all over the country with various traditional spices, crust styles, and the flavors of the different regions. The United States is home to four main styles.

The original style that came over from Italy with the immigrants is the Margherita, which is a Neapolitan style out of Naples, which is named for the queen of Savoy. To be able to have it called a true Margherita, you need to be certified by the Vera Pizza Napoletana Association. Traditionally, it has hand prepared and kneaded crust and is topped with fresh basil, mozzarella, and fresh tomatoes.

The New York style is a commonly enjoyed variation. The downtown Manhattan restaurant, Lombardi’s, gave birth to the American-style pizza. It historically has been served in such large pieces that it is traditionally eaten folded down the center, lengthwise. The sauce is a simple tomato base and is usually eaten with just cheese, or with no more than two other toppings.

As you cross westward over the country, you come to Chicago where a unique style of pizza can be enjoyed. This is the deep dish, which is eaten with a fork because it is too thick to pick up with your fingers. The style was born at Pizzeria Uno by Ike Sewell and has a delicious butter crust and a sauce that is chunkier and sweeter than the New York style. The crust is placed up the sides of the pan, then is completely covered with cheese, then topped with layers of Italians sausage and more cheese, and covered with cheese. Chicago is also home to stuffed crust, which is topped with a layer of crust under the sauce. On this style, the crust often has to be pre-cooked due to its thickness.

Finally, there is the gourmet style that is served on the West coast and can usually be identified by the toppings, while you can tell the others apart by the crust. The non-traditional toppings include, but are not limited to, artichoke hearts, olive oil, oysters, and eggplant. Also included in the gourmet category are dessert and breakfast pizzas. Some toppings, such as eggplant, may need to be pre-cooked so that the crust does not get soggy.

Whether you are craving a simple meal or a meal with rustic and unique toppings, there is an American pie out there for you to enjoy anywhere you may be in the country. If you enjoy pizza, you will not be disappointed.

Yogurt, now a common commodity that can found in the furthest reaches of the world, is a classic example of a modern food war. Don’t mistake the term “food war” for a “trade war” or confuse it for two foods literally fighting against one another (not that you would, that would be ridiculous). Food war, in this sense, refers to multiple countries or peoples claiming a food, in this case yogurt, as their own. In actuality, yogurt can’t be traced to any particular ethnic group. It is a product of the land and of all the people that lived on that land.

As most of you probably know, yogurt is prepared using milk. In the US, cows have become the primary source of this milk, though it can also come from sheep, goat and water buffalo. In fact, milk from sheep and goat has a much higher fat content and more nutritional value; the first yogurt probably came from these animals. Yogurt is created by introducing bacteria to the milk. Though the actual discovery of yogurt is still unclear, it is likely that natural enzymes in animal’s stomachs curdled with milk during the milking process, forming something similar to what we now know as yogurt.

Yogurt was discovered 4,000 years ago by nomadic Turkish peoples in Central Asia. It quickly spread throughout the Middle East, becoming a staple of many of these people’s meals as well as a signature food of the Ottoman diet. Yogurt became popular and important for a few reasons. Firstly, milk spoiled very quickly back in the day, turning bad after only a few hours. Yogurt, in addition to extending the life of milk, was easier to digest because the bacteria assisted in breaking down lactose. It can be said that yogurt was the first probiotic. High in fat, protein, vitamins and calcium, yogurt was considered a sort of miracle food for people throughout the Ottoman Empire.

The Ottoman Empire, an incredibly culturally and ethnically diverse group of people (including, among others, Turks, Greeks, Armenians and Kurds), was key in the introduction of yogurt around much of the western world. In the 16th century Francis the 1st, the King of France, had life-threatening diaria. Suleiman the Magnificent, a friend of Francis’ and the most iconic and legendary of the Ottoman Sultans, sent a doctor to cure him. As the legend goes, the doctor prescribed yogurt for the King and his diarrhea was cured not long thereafter. However, it wasn’t until the late 19th-century that yogurt really began to take its hold on the western world. The Ottoman Empire was increasingly weaker during these years and many people were leaving it as a result of its crumbling state: as these people left yogurt was brought with them. During this period one scientist identified the yogurt bacteria and spread knowledge about yogurt health benefits. Yogurt being eaten as an every day food happened a bit later. In 1919, a Jewish doctor by the name of Isaac Carasso left the Ottoman Empire and settled in Barcelona. He began a yogurt plant that he named after his son, Danone. This has now grown into Danon, the largest yogurt company in the world. Armenian immigrants fleeing the Armenian genocide introduced yogurt to the United States, though it didn’t really catch on until Daniel, the son of Isaac, opened a yogurt factory in New York in the 1940′s.

As the many ethnicities of the Ottoman Empire left and settled in other parts of the world, the one word that they had in common was “yoğurt”. From this word the modern, English version “yogurt” came to life. It is the one Turkish word to make it into the English language.

So, who does yogurt belong to? Nobody and everybody. All of these groups and countries are claiming for their own a food that in actuality is native to the region in general. Yogurt was innovated by nomadic tribesman from Central Asia, spread throughout the Middle East where it was used by all populations, and eventually made its way to Europe and the US. It should be recognized as a symbol of the Ottoman legacy. Each of these groups sharing in something that, for all practical purposes, belonged to all of them.

I think you will agree with me. When we think of people who are successful and rich, one thing that comes to mind is that they can afford to indulge in all kinds of foods. Caviar, foie gras, and other expensive or exotic foods come to mind. Even if such foods are not your liking, you will think of them having the ability of eating whatever they like, as much as they like. Not necessarily all at one go, but to be able to eat them whenever the urge arise, just because they can afford to.

Just imagine it, whatever you want to eat, just order it without a thought about how much it costs. Huge Carl’s Jr. burgers, large succulent waggu beef steaks, Swensen’s Earthquake ice cream, are some of the images in my mind. Not all of them at one go, as I’ve said earlier, but whenever the urge arises. Yeah, wouldn’t that be great?

Of course, thoughts of eating often lead to whether the particular food is healthy or not. That would lead to a whole debate about what to eat. And the age old addict: “Healthy foods are not nice; nice foods are not healthy” is true. My solution to that is: eat in moderation. Even unhealthy foods can be enjoyed if you eat in small quantities at infrequent intervals.

But I am more of an adventurous eater. I relish the opportunity to eat foods that are uncommon. It does not have to be expensive, but not the foods that you eat normally. But I’m not keen to take part in Fear Factor. Oh no, no way! What I am interested is to eat foods that are delicacies that peoples in various places do eat, but which are not the kind we normally eat. I dare not name some of them as I’m afraid some of my readers might not be able to stomach them. But I think you get the idea of what kinds of foods I mean.

Foie gras would be a close approximation. While lovers of this would delight in its taste and texture, opponents would shudder at the thought of eating the ‘liver of specially fattened geese or ducks’. For me, I’ll try it, though I may not necessarily get to like it. That’s what I mean by being adventurous. I would go so far as to say I’ll try it even if there is a risk of getting a stomach upset. But not when I think it would harm or kill me. I’m adventurous but not foolhardy.

Well, if you think of it, what is caviar or foie gras? Caviar is the roe, or eggs, of fish. And foie gras, as previously stated, is the liver of geese or ducks. If you were to ask someone “would you like to eat the roe of fish?” or “would you like to eat the liver of geese?” I don’t think there would be many takers. But if you were to ask “would you like to have some caviar?” or “would like to eat foie gras?” I bet you the response would be a lot better. Why? That’s because these names are not down-to-earth descriptions of the products. In fact, they have a certain ring of mystery. They carry with them a sense of intrigue.

In 1994, after apartheid ended in South Africa, thereby ending decades of isolation, it went on a worldwide campaign to woo trade. I read about a trade show in my country where they were trying to promote their products. One item that caught my attention was “worms”. At that time I wondered why anyone would eat worms. Intrigued, I went down to find out.

At the trade show, there were several stalls offering their produce from South Africa. I expected a stall that offered worms, but there were none. Then, I saw that on the stage the master of ceremony (MC) was trying to persuade a young man to eat a worm. The young man was trying to avoid eating it. I can’t remember if he finally ate it or not. When the show ended, I got on to the stage and asked the MC if he had any worm left. He picked up a twig and said there should one in it. When he broke it open, there was a fat juicy grub worm. He gave it to me and I tried it.

Its texture was like caramel, and its taste like butter. Not exactly great tasting, in fact it was not much of a taste. But for something that looked so squirmy, it was better than expected.

Somehow, after that experience, I began to have a new perspective about worms. Now don’t get me wrong. I’m NOT going to eat any worm that is found anywhere. Like I said earlier, I’ll eat things that are eaten by some people somewhere, either as food or delicacy. That fat juicy grub worm that I ate is an example. I heard that in a town at the very north end of Thailand they offer a variety of edible worms. I’d like to go there some day to sample some. I’m not saying that I’ll like it. But to me it’s an adventure.

Like I said, I’m an adventurous eater. What’s your adventure?

Unless you’re the one handling the food and the drinks in your own event or function, you have the catering company to give thanks to for rendering wonderful and efficient service to your guests. So apart from the issue of finding a reputable catering company, it’s also important to have a good working relationship with the catering group so you can work more efficiently and ensure more positive results. Here are some tips on how you can deal with the catering company with more ease and efficiency.

Hire them months in advance.

Not every caterer is up to the challenge of organizing an event that’s just several days away. Of course, apart from the variety of food and drinks to prepare, they also have to deal with all the stress of preparing all the things you need in short notice. It’s best to look for a catering company months in advance, especially if the function you’re organizing is a big and important one. This will give them enough time to prepare the essentials and make way for any last-minute revisions and changes when needed.

Tell them what you really want.

No matter how efficient a catering company is, they can’t get your approval if they don’t specifically know what you like. Always make sure to communicate your thoughts clearly to the caterer right from the beginning. If you have specific requirements for the tableware or setting, or especially the menu to be served, make sure to discuss these with the catering head. Don’t be afraid of voicing out your opinions and specific preferences. In case your request is quite impossible to do, make it a point to work out on an agreement with the caterer. Even if you can’t totally get what you want, you and the caterer can work on a compromise to at least accommodate some of your requests.

Be open to suggestions.

In line with what’s said above, also hear out what the caterer has to say regarding your requests and specific preferences. Be open to the team’s ideas that may be more suitable for the event you’re planning. Hear out their suggestions and have a sit-down meeting where you discuss each other’s points until you reach a compromise of what needs to be accomplished for the event.

Be careful with your tone of voice.

How you say a request or a directive can dictate how smooth-flowing your working relationship with the caterer would be. Discuss your specific instructions but be somewhat laidback so you can also consider your caterer’s ideas. While you’ll be the one paying for their services, it’s best to treat them how you want to be treated to ensure that the event and all the preparations can be accomplished without any problems with the catering company.

Get top-quality catering Sydney services from trusted companies in the industry. Check out Icon Event Catering to browse through their available catering menu and packages for various event functions.

Sometimes called deep sea perch, red roughy or pacific golden roughy, the orange roughy is caught in the seas off New Zealand sometimes at depths of up to 3300 feet. It has a bright brick-red skin that fades to a yellowish red after the fish dies. The roughy has a comparatively large head and averages 3 ½ pounds and 18 to 22 inches in length but can grow to 15 pounds. It also has a very long lifespan, living up to 149 years. Because of its slow maturity and the fact that they have been very important commercially they are in danger of over fishing. There are some retailers that refuse to sell orange roughy because of the danger of it being over fished. The orange roughy has been compared in taste to petrale sole. It is usually sold as skinned fillets, either fresh or frozen. Compared to other fish orange roughy is rather low in omega-3 fatty acids. Sold primarily in fillet form, its snow-white meat is very mild in flavor and low in fat. The best way to cook orange roughy is to bake, broil, deep fry, pan fry, sauté, poach or steam.

MAHI MAHI

Mahi mahi is a Hawaiian name given to the dolphin fish. Not to be confused with the dolphin that is a mammal, this fish can be found in tropical waters throughout the world. There are two types of dolphin fish that are sold as mahi mahi, the common dolphin fish and the pompano dolphin fish. The mahi mahi does not live a very long life, 4 to 5 years is tops. It averages 2 to 5 pounds but can grow to 76 pounds and 6 feet in length but fish over 40 pounds are rare. It is one of the world’s fastest swimmers reaching speeds of 50 miles per hour. Mahi mahi is very popular for both sport and commercial fishing and are featured in restaurants world-wide. Alive, it is a very colorful fish with a blue-green back and a light belly with tinges of gold, but these colors fade when the fish dies. Mahi mahi has a very firm flaky meat with a distinctive delicate, somewhat sweet flavor and a moderate fat content. Its meat is rather pink in color and remains fairly moist after cooking. The best way of cooking mahi mahi is to bake, broil, grill, deep fry, pan fry or poach.

Hi! My name is Tom. I worked for 40 years buying and selling fish in the retail market. After years I found out people don’t want complicated recipes for cooking fish. They want simple and easy cooking instructions. I have a site that lists and describes most types of fish found in the United States with recommendations and easy instructions on how to cook them. If you want to learn how to bake, broil, deep fry, oven fry, pan fry, poach, sauté or steam fish the easy way, check these out.

The sockeye salmon is one of the smaller Pacific salmon averaging 3 to 5 pounds and 2 feet in length but has been known to reach 15 pounds. It can be found in the Pacific from San Francisco to Alaska and is most abundant in the waters off the coast of Washington. It is the third most common salmon in the Pacific Ocean. Like the other Pacific salmon, it enters freshwater streams to spawn. There is also a smaller type of sockeye salmon called kokanee that lives in freshwater, landlocked lakes. These fish are rarely found over 14 inches long. When at sea, the sockeye salmon has a blue-gray back, fine black spots on its side and a silver belly. When it enters freshwater streams and rivers to spawn their color turns to bright red with a greenish head and the breeding males develop a hump on their back and hooked jaws. Also known as nerka, blueback, redfish or red salmon, the sockeye meat has a color that ranges from deep salmon to deep red. It has a firm flaky meat that is rich in flavor and quite oily and remains moist after cooking. The best way to cook sockeye salmon is to broil, bake, steam, poach or grill.

PINK SALMON

The pink salmon is the smallest and most abundant of the Pacific salmon averaging only 3 to 6 pounds but it has been known to reach 30 pounds and 38 inches in length. They are found in the north Pacific from Oregon to Alaska and in freshwater streams where they go to spawn. Commercial fishing for pink salmon is very important in the north Pacific but the fish is not farmed very aggressively. During migration the male fish will develop a hump on its back and are then called humpies or humpback salmon. The pink salmon has a bright gray to blue back with small black spots and a silver belly but when it goes to freshwater it turns to a dull gray or green with an off-white belly. The male sides have a reddish tint and the female have a greenish tint. They get their name from the color of their meat. Pink salmon have a firm layered flesh that has a distinctive rich flavor and is high in fat and will remain moist after cooking. The best way to cook pink salmon is to bake, broil poach or steam.

Hi! My name is Tom. I worked for 40 years buying and selling fish in the retail market. After years I found out people don’t want complicated recipes for cooking fish. They want simple and easy cooking instructions. I have a site that lists and describes most types of fish found in the United States with recommendations and easy instructions on how to cook them. If you want to learn how to bake, broil, deep fry, oven fry, pan fry, poach, sauté or steam fish the easy way, check these out.