Spring 2005 Newsletter
As May arrives with scent of lilacs hanging heavy in the air, it heralds the beginning of the wedding season! With the fast pace we live nowadays, planning all the details of a wedding can be a source of stress for some. At Dial A Chef, we specialize in details and with just a phone call, we can help to make your day as wonderful as you dreamed it would be!
Weddings are sometimes planned a year in advance, so for those of you who plan to get married, or have children or grandchildren who plan to get married soon, I have put together a “Wedding Planner” to assist you with the details.
Remember that Dial A Chef can accommodate rehearsal dinners, wedding banquets, and “ retour de noce” (the day after brunch) so you can relax and enjoy a memorable day!
As quickly as Spring arrives so does Summer outdoor entertaining with great BBQs and warm evenings on the deck! With all the added distractions of anticipated landscaping, deadlines before vacation and tending to the basic family needs, who in the world has time to prepare delicious creations for your summer parties feast? Even so, just as a tease, I am sharing a quick and easy lemon custard recipe that you can make on the side burner of your BBQ.
Lemon Custard
1 lemon 40 g butter
2 eggs 80 g sugar
1 pint berries 200 ml whipped cream
Zest the lemon. In a sauce pan combine the butter, the sugar and the 2 eggs. Add the lemon juice and cook on medium low heat, stirring constantly until the first sign of boiling. Cool and fill parfait glasses with cold lemon custard. Top with berries marinated in Grand Marnier and a rose of whipped cream. Garnish with fresh mint and enjoy! Everybody loves a barbecue! Follow these tips for preparing, cooking, serving and storing barbecued foods safely (from CFIA).
Barbecue Tips
BEFORE YOU BARBECUE
•Clean and sanitize all utensils, equipment and work surfaces with a mild bleach solution (use 5ml/1tsp. of bleach in 750ml/3 cups water). Do this before and after you have finished preparing food.Rinse with clean water. Let air dry if possible, or use clean kitchen towels or paper towels.
•Before you begin your food preparation, wash your hands for at least 20 seconds with soap and hot water. Wash them again when you switch from one food to another. Be sure to wash your hands after you touch raw meat, poultry or seafood.
•Keep raw foods away from cooked foods. Do not use the same plate or tray or utensils for raw and cooked meats.
•Keep meats, salads and perishable foods in the refrigerator until you are ready to use them. If you store your food in a cooler, pack the cooler with freezer packs to keep the temperature at or below 4°C (40°F). Keep the cooler lid closed as much as possible. Store your cooler in the shade, away from birds and animals.
•Preheat the barbecue before you start to cook. If you use a charcoal barbecue, use enough charcoal to cook everything and make sure it is glowing red before you begin to cook.
DURING COOKING
•Precook poultry if possible and then put it on the BBQ immediately. You don’t want any food to be exposed to danger zone temperatures (4°C- 60°Cor 40°F- 140°F).
•Use a food thermometer to make sure that food has reached a safe internal temperature.
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Remember, I’m here to assist you with ALL your entertainment needs!
Eric Le Pors
