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Soy Milk and Children?

July 12, 2009 in Catering by WebAdmin | No comments

44. Why you should reconsider consuming soy milk often? Soy is the Most mucous forming food on the planet.

Most milk is mucous forming. When a cold develops or pneumonia sets in, the last thing offered should be a milk product due to the mucous in it. Soy is still milk, even though it is called a “vegetable milk.” Children under two years of age are being advised not to drink cow’s milk due to the high protein in it. Yet soy milk is high protein also, and is seriously being promoted for children today, especially those who have had milk allergies. The soy milk is curdled and hung in a cheese cloth, this forms a sold curd which is called tofu or soy cheese. Processed soy products is the most mucous forming food on the planet!

It has been proven in Japan that soy has goitrogens in it, which depresses thyroid function. It also is high in phytic acid and is 99% genetically modified, plus having one of the highest percentages contaminate of pesticides there is. Scientists are beginning to agree that grain and legume based diets high in phytates are helping spread mineral deficiencies in 3rd world countries.

Soy has come to us from the Orient where it is called “the meat without a bone.” Tofu is a very natural protein based product from soy that replaces meat in the Orient. Traditionally, it was eaten by the Japanese as part of a mineral-rich fish broth. Recent studies show vegetarians who eat tofu and bean curd as meat substitutes for dairy products and meat, are at risk for mineral deficiencies. Supplements need to be added to compensate for this deficiency. Vegetarians who consume tofu and bean curd as a substitute for meat and dairy products risk severe mineral deficiencies.

The Chinese did not eat soybean as other legumes and lentils. They felt that the soybean contained large amounts of harmful substances. Many reasons are cited for it, but soy products continue to grow in the United States at an alarming rate. Chocolate soy milk and vanilla soy milk are just a few products that we find in our grocery stores today.

From FMC food catering

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Health Foods

July 2, 2009 in Catering by WebAdmin | No comments

There are certain types of foods that are eliminated by the body quicker than others. These are unprocessed foods containing adequate fiber in foods such as fresh fruits, fresh vegetables, and whole grains. If these types of food would be consumed more, bodily conditions of diseases, constipation and other bowel complications would be avoided.

When foods types like beans, peas, green vegetables, fresh fruits of all types, whole grain breads, and cereals are eaten, an easily managed mass of residue is easily passed through the intestines. The time frame of 72 hours or less is normal for the remains of the consumed foods to pass through the bowels with elimination of four to six hours for extremely healthy people. This short time span is easier on the gastrointestinal tract than the consumption of white flour and sugar foods that are low fiber residue.

The body becomes more active and alert when the body does not consume food for a period of time. It is believed that three hours or more is adequate between meals before another meal should be eaten. Of course, this varies on the type of meal that is eaten, what types of food, and how much is eaten.

It is also a natural tendency of the human body to rest while it is digesting food: ten minutes before consuming a meal and half-an-hour after consuming the meal is thought to be the most beneficial. The largest meal of the day should be eaten around noon as the body’s physiological capacities are at their peak during this time. This would be a problem in today’s world as after the meal, lying down for about half-an-hour may present a problem. So, many individuals eat their largest meal after work or at the end of the day when they can relax at leisure.

From FMC food catering

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FMC Food Catering on Healthy Cooking in a Few Easy Steps

June 28, 2009 in Catering by WebAdmin | No comments

From FMC Food Catering to our valued customers and readers:

Techniques of Healthy Cooking
healthy cooking

People say that is so much easier to stay healthy when you do your own cooking. You must also be wondering: how to cook healthy? Many processed foods remain to be a temptation for busy people. Cooking healthy can be achieved in a few easy steps.

Certain adjustments need to be made, but it need not be difficult. Make healthy cooking as enjoyable as possible with the help of these tips.

1. Take note of the food groups. Your go, grow and glow foods aren’t being taught with your ABC’s for nothing. Go back to the basics and make sure you are able to apply them as you prepare your meals.
2. Learn the food pyramid and apply it. Food pyramids give you an idea of the recommended daily amounts of foods from different food groups. Make sure you and your family are nourished well and apply them.
3. Seek alternatives for junk food. Fruit salads instead of fries are some examples of healthy trade offs that can be just as welcome to your taste buds.
4. Have a health buff for an eating buddy. This way, you won’t be influenced to go unhealthy with your cooking plan.
5. Look for cookbooks tailored for healthy living and invest in them. This is really worth all your effort and money.
6. Change the ratio of your food proportions.
7. Take note of the weather. For cold weather, prepare stews and soups. For warm weather, have something cool and refreshing such as a pitcher of lemonade and a bowl of salad.
8. Cut back on sodium.
9. Use your oil wisely. Canola and olive oil are good options, albeit more expensive that your ordinary and less healthy oils.
10. Use fruits more often.
11. Be as organic as possible. The closer the food is to its original source, the better.
12. Make your healthy eating menu a varied one. Never grow stale and harness all possible options that you have.
13. Go for non-processed alternatives. For example, use whole grain instead of processed grains.
14. Stock on foods rich in fiber. Incorporate this in the foods you are cooking.
15. Lessen the fats in meat prior to cooking it.

For someone who may be used to cooking not so healthy foods, there may be a period of adjustment as you try to incorporate more healthy cooking techniques.

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FMC Food Catering on How to Incorporate Greek Cooking in Your Kitchen

June 28, 2009 in Catering by WebAdmin | No comments

From FMC Food Catering to our valued customers and readers:

You don’t have to have a big fat Greek wedding to learn Greek cooking. Also, you don’t have to go to Greece or be from Greece to cook Greek. There are surefire ways to be able to incorporate Greek cooking in your lifestyle. Amaze your friends and family with these techniques.

1. Seek advice from a native. No other person knows their menu best than the natives. Natives are often more than happy to help you as you learn more and promote their culture by means of cooking.
2. Harness all available resources in the form of books, recipes online, as well as offline. If you are able to get all the resources you have and apply them in your kitchen, you are bound for Greek cooking in no time.
3. Acquaint yourself with ingredients that are Greek.
4. Use lots of fresh vegetables in your menu. This is one of the trademarks of Greek cuisine.
5. Lamb, fish, or chicken; take your pick. These are the three top kinds of meat that Greek natives prefer to have in their meals.
6. Season your food with spices, such as nutmeg, cinnamon, bay leaves, oregano, and dill.
7. Capitalize on freshness, no matter what ingredient you use.
8. Make appetizers (mezethes) to complement the main course.
9. Use a casserole to present your meals. Taverns are popular in Greece and they usually serve their food in one whole casserole containing all the dishes that the cooks have prepared.
10. Make a spinach or cheese pie. Feta ice cream is used on top of a typical Grecian spinach pie.
11. Never smoke the food. Familiarize yourself with techniques such as frying, simmering, sautéing, braising, boiling, baking, stewing, poaching, roasting, pickling, and grilling. Mastery of these techniques will definitely lead you to a viable cooking career in Greece.
12. Have a combination of olives, bread and wine.
13. Whip up some salad.
14. Wrap it up. Greeks are notorious for wrapping their food.
15. Learn how to use the phyllo dough. This is readily available in most supermarkets.
16. Go healthy. Greeks are health-conscious individuals. Fill the menu with antioxidants and other cancer-fighting elements.

Learning how to cook in Greek style is something that not only takes time but also practice and determination. And while you are studying Greek cooking, you may eventually find a fascination with other cuisines which have influenced modern Greek cooking such as French and Turkish cuisines to complete your international repertoire of recipes.

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FMC Food Catering on French Cooking: What is all the Buzz about?

June 28, 2009 in Catering by WebAdmin | No comments

From FMC Food Catering to our valued customers and readers:

For many people, French cooking is the pinnacle of all regional cuisines all over the world. When people hear French food, they immediately associate it with ultimate lusciousness with impeccable elegance. But what makes this type of cooking so special? Is it all a hype, or is French cooking really revered by most food connoisseurs everywhere?

French cooking is special because of the way French people value their food so much. Eating is sacred for the French, if you have heard of their 5-hour dinners and thought of it as an exaggeration, you are wrong. French people really value their meals so much that they devote a lot of time for eating, making it an activity that is central to their daily lives. And for many of those who have tried authentic French cooking, the long sittings are really worth it.

Because the French value their cooking so much, they put nothing but the best in their cuisine. Only the best ingredients are allowed to touch the French kitchen whether it be vegetables, fruits, meats, poultry, condiments or anything else. The French also believe in the seasonality of food so ingredients are only obtained during their best times and thus they are able give their best flavors.

The best ingredients of course deserve the best treatment. And this is why French cooking seems so elaborate. French cooks and chefs take all the efforts in celebrating the wonders of food. They don’t want quality ingredients fresh from their sources to go to waste and so much care and skill are devoted to the French way of cooking.

The French are also keen to exhibit the great efforts they’ve devoted to their cooking by presenting their food in such lavish displays that by themselves are works of art. Some think that the French presentation of food is unnecessary especially garish. But this isn’t true for the French. For them, eating involves all the senses, not only taste, but sound, smell, touch, and sight.

This is why when you are about to take part in French cooking, you are sure to satisfy not only your stomach or taste buds, but your spirit as well. French cooking comes from the very heart of the French culture. It’s not all buzz, but everything you hear about French food is true. Try it out for yourself, and enjoy the delectable offerings of French cooking.

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FMC Food Catering on Where to Find Chef Jobs

June 28, 2009 in Catering by WebAdmin | No comments

From FMC Food Catering to our valued customers and readers:

The food industry has boomed over the past few years. New restaurants offering both old and new cuisines seem to pop up every minute. This in turn implicates the vast openings of chefs jobs everywhere. But there are quite a number of qualified and talented chefs who are finding difficulty in finding jobs. It isn’t because they aren’t good in the kitchen but more so because they aren’t looking in the right places.

It isn’t that difficult to find chefs jobs these days if you know where to look. Communications have greatly improved in the last few decades, you just have to take advantage of these advancements in order to find what you are looking for. Of course there are still the classic venues where you can look for jobs, and they can work perfectly as well for you if you find the initiative to indeed look out for them.

One classic and time-tested place to look for chefs jobs are classified ads. Print media has continued to be a leading source of information in spite of the electronic media. People still look for jobs in newspapers and magazine advertisements. It wouldn’t be surprising for you to successfully find jobs in these ads because most restaurants and culinary institutes still place ads in print.

Another place to look for chefs jobs are recruitment and placement agencies, more popularly known as head hunters. Yes, being a chef is now considered a job that is as hot as an executive or manager. The bigwigs in the restaurant business do look for fine chefs through headhunters because they want no one but the best. It pays to have yourself listed in a reputable placement agency to easily gain access to the best job offers.

Finally, you can take advantage of the conveniences of modern technology to find chefs jobs. Millions of people find jobs through the internet and there is absolutely no excuse for you not to find a chefs job online. Most of the important restaurants and culinary institutes have websites and post their job ads on them. This is very convenient for you as you can apply to many places without wasting time or paper.

It’s no longer difficult to look for jobs these days and it is indeed quite easy to find chefs jobs. So go ahead look for that job and you may see yourself strutting your stuff in the kitchen.

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FMC Food Catering on How to Make the Most out of the Dutch Oven Cooking

June 28, 2009 in Catering by WebAdmin | No comments

From FMC Food Catering to our valued customers and readers:

Visit to see more Dutch Oven
dutch oven

The Dutch Oven is a much revered cooking apparatus that has served generations of kitchens with sumptuous and homey foods like no other. Because of such great adulation for food cooked in a Dutch Oven however people are intimidated by this wonderful kitchen tool. But this shouldn’t be, the Dutch Oven is a very versatile tool that can be used by anyone who know how to cook.

There are some things you can do to bring out the best from Dutch Oven cooking that isn’t that complicated. Here are some tips to make the most out of Dutch Oven cooking:

1. Choosing the right Dutch Oven for optimal cooking A good Dutch oven should have legs. The lid shouldn’t have gaps that will let heat escape. The casting should be even, as well as the thickness of the metallic material. The handle, called a bail, should be securely attached to the oven and should be strong enough to carry it even when full.

2. The oven should be cured properly once obtained Curing prevents the oven from unwanted rusting and food from sticking. A rusty Dutch oven may still be scrubbed by sandpaper with a fine grade to expose the metal. The oven can then be washed with hot soap and water. Put the Dutch oven in a 200 degree oven and coat it with some lard or shortening using a clean cloth. Leave it in for about an hour at 350 degrees. Let the oven cool slowly.

3. Use the right tools Dutch ovens are quite hardy but they can get damaged when the wrong tools are used with them. Never use metal utensils when cooking with the Dutch oven. Use wooden spatulas, forks, spoons, and turners to make sure you don’t scrape the metal. Use well-fitting leather gloves when handling the oven. You also need a lid lifter, lid holders, tongs, a shovel and a whisk broom.

4. Position the coals well You will experience uneven cooking if you don’t position the coals properly or if you don’t use the right amount. Normally you’ll need twice as much coals as the diameter of the ovens bottom. For best results use coal briquettes because they burn more evenly and last longer.

Dutch oven cooking shouldn’t be a complicated matter. If you do these tips, you are close to mastering the noble art of Dutch oven cooking.

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FMC Food Catering on Witness the Gastronomic World with a Cooking Vacation

June 28, 2009 in Catering by WebAdmin | No comments

From FMC Food Catering to our valued customers and readers:

Get Your DVD Cooking Course
dvd cooking course

People look forward to vacations, but sometimes, vacations may become so typical, ordinary and boring just seeing sights, going to beaches, and the usual stuff. Other vacations on the other hand are too extreme like climbing mountains, swimming with sharks, and other daring things. If you want something for your vacation that is different but still fun and safe, then you might want to try going on a cooking vacation.

Cooking vacations are becoming more and more popular each year even though it was unheard of in the past. Each locale has its distinctive way of cooking and kinds of food. A cooking vacation takes advantage of the worlds great diversity of foods and cultures by going to the places where particular kinds of food came from and not only eat them but also learning how to prepare them the original way.

With a cooking vacation, you get to maximize your vacation time with many activities that are worth looking forward to. You get to see the splendor of different places and meet different people. You get to immerse yourself into a new and exciting environment that can definitely help you break off from your tedious daily life. Most of all, you get to experience food in all its original glory from the preparation to the actual eating.

One of the most anticipated parts of most vacations is the food of the locale you are going to be in. It is good enough to have a taste of cuisine in all its authenticity in the place where it came from, but what could be better than knowing how to prepare the delectable treats yourself and perhaps bring it home to enjoy even if you are far from the foods origin.

Of course you are still entitled to do the usual activities you can do at such vacations spots. The main difference, however, is that you get more than what usual tourists get when they visit a popular destination. You get to experience the culture and spirit of the your destination like no other, by immersing yourself in the very heart of their way of life.

If you are tired of your usual vacation scenarios, then going on a cooking vacation may be the thing for you. To learn more about cooking vacations, simply contact your travel agent. Popular destinations include Mexico, Italy, France and other places known for their rich and interesting cuisines.

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FMC Food Catering on Utensils You Must Have

June 28, 2009 in Catering by WebAdmin | No comments

From FMC Food Catering to our valued customers and readers:

Not all people know how to cook but there are many people who would like to at least try it out. However, some may be intimidated with the kitchen especially if they aren’t equipped with the right tools. Cooking shouldn’t be intimidating if you have the right utensils. Here are the cooking utensils that you need to start cooking:

1. A good knife

This is the cooks best friend. The knife is practically the most important utensil you need for cooking as it performs a lot of tasks apart from cutting and slicing. This is the utensil you need to invest in. You can be thrifty about other things but not with the knife. It doesn’t have to be expensive though, you just need a sharp knife that is easy to handle and it will work quite well.

2. Chopping Board

This is the knifes partner, and it could be a good friend in the kitchen too. Look for a sturdy chopping board that can handle the demands of cooking everyday. Buy two kinds, a synthetic one for meats and a wooden one for vegetables. This is important to avoid any contamination of food.

3. Pans

Obviously, you need to cook on something, and this is the role of pans. A large skillet and a smaller pan should be enough for many kinds of cooking. If you are new to cooking, you might be safe with non-stick pans, but if you are more advanced you can venture into stainless steel pans, iron cast pans, and eventually, copper pans.

4. Pots

You also need something deep to cook soups and stocks and this is when pots are needed. You basically need one large stock pot and a small saucepan for general cooking needs. There are many kinds of pots but you are safe with stainless steel ones for most recipes.

5. Wooden spoons

This is a very versatile cooking utensil that you use for many things. Wooden is best especially if you have non-stick pans because the wood won’t scratch the non-stick coating. Wooden spoons also last quite long, they don’t melt or warp and they are quite cheap as well.

6. Whisk

This is yet another flexible tool that can be used in many cooking processes. Wire whisks are quite easy to use and clean. Go with the classic stainless steel ones as they are quite easy to work with.

Cooking isn’t that complicated. With just a few good utensils, you can easily make your way around the kitchen.

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FMC Food Catering on Making the Most Out of Your Cooking Training

June 28, 2009 in Catering by WebAdmin | No comments

From FMC Food Catering to our regular customers and readers:

chefscatalogue

Cooking has long been a passion of people throughout ages, cultures, and locations. Practically every locale has its own kind of cooking, and in turn, each place has its way training people how to cook. But what is common among all places with their cooking traditions is that people want to make full use of the training they get about cooking. What is cooking, after all, if not a practical thing that could actually help people?

Here are some ways to make the most out of your cooking training:

1. Don’t miss any cooking training sessions. Common sense tells you that if you are absent from any cooking sessions; you’ll miss out on the lessons covered for that day. Cooking is a practical art and being present is important to truly experience food being gloriously constructed. It isn’t like other things which you can just read about and easily catch on. With cooking you need to use all your senses during the actual cooking period and if you are absent, you won’t experience all these.

2. Go beyond more than just following recipes. To really get into the heart of cooking you have to be aware of everything that is happening. You shouldn’t just follow the recipes, although you need to know them by heart. What you should do even more is understand what is happening when you are following the directions given in a recipe. Know why you have to add salt in the end and not during cooking or why you should stir constantly instead of occasionally. Understanding each step is key to mastering the art of cooking.

3. Practice what you have learned. People will keep on saying that practice makes perfect and they are right. Cooking is more of a skill than a talent and all skills need to be practiced to be mastered. Try out what you have learned every time you get the chance. Not only will this help you sharpen your cooking skills, this will also help you remember the things you have learned.

4. Feed people. What is the purpose of your cooking training other than to feed people, yourself included? Food is to be enjoyed and you should be able to share the gastronomic masterpieces you have created with people who will actually eat and appreciate them.

Getting the most out of your cooking training is easy. You just need to keep on cooking and keep on feeding and soon enough you’ll be the master cook you’ve always been dreamed about.

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