Free Culinary School.com: The podcast and blog that teaches you how to cook like a professional chef

Dear esteemed F&N students,

This is an interesting website that uses podcasts and holds various recipes to cooking different food.

Here's the link: http://freeculinaryschool.com/

You can navigate the links on the right entitled "Categories"

I find this website rather useful and interesting for your work.

To enforce what I just mentioned, here's a picture preview from the link: http://freeculinaryschool.com/fcs-episode-15-classical-salads-and-creamy-dressings/

Picture: Caesar Salad (Credits: http://freeculinaryschool.com/fcs-episode-15-classical-salads-and-creamy-dressings/)

Do give a thought in visiting this website. Have fun!

Cheerios,
Ms Tang

Practical 4: Kuih Pisang

Dear Esteemed 3N2 2009,


Here are photos of your practical on Kuih Pisang. I will post the recipe online sometime this week.


Picture 1: Class Efforts

Picture 2: Serving Suggestions

Picture 3: Kuih Pisang made by Sugashini and Nurul

Picture 4: The Chefs

May you all have a blessed and restful weekend.

Cheerios,

Ms. Tang

Legumes and Pulses Part 2: Toxin found in Red Kidney Beans

Dear Esteemed 3N2 2009,

The name of the toxin for your interest which we discussed about two weeks ago (5 Feb) in red kidney beans is phytohemagglutinin. Read more about this on the URL link: http://www.foodreference.com/html/artredkidneybeanpoisoning.html

For preparation methods, go to this URL link: http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?pfriendly=1&tname=foodspice&dbid=87


Picture 1: Picture of red kidney beans
Credits: http://www.germes-online.com/direct/dbimage/50290141/Red_Kidney_Beans.jpg


Picture 2: Structure of phytohemagglutinin.
Credits: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Phytohemagglutinin_L.png

Have fun!
Cheerios,
Ms. Tang

Legumes and Pulses Part 1: Barley is a Grain

Dear Esteemed 3N2 09,

Here's a URL link all about Barley, to answer further to Vivian question 2 weeks ago (5 Feb). Read about Barely as a grain on http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barley for your self-interest.


Picture 1: Barley field
Credits: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Barley.jpg

Have fun!

Cheerios,
Ms. Tang

Deadline for Mindmap Groupwork by Wed 11 February

Dear 3N2 F&N 2009 Students,

Please remember to complete your Mindmap Groupwork by Wed 11 February.

Nurul and Navin, please help to collect back all the group works.

I will be free to help you all on Tuesday 10 Feb if you need to ask questions. Please inform me before hand.

There will be no practicals and theory this week as our class 3N2, will be going to ITE Simei for school visit.

However, I will like to have a lesson make-up with you all next Tues from 2pm-3pm as you all will be missing out on three topics in all. Please let me know if you can or cannot make it. We can arrange something here.

May you all have a blessed week ahead.

Cheerios, Ms. Tang

Practical 4: Shortcrust Pastry (Rubbing-In Method)

Picture 1: Custard Tart
Image credits: Thanks to Yi Long and Jek Keat, Sec 3N2 2009


Picture 2: Sardine Tarts
Image credits: Thanks to Vivian and Celestine, Sec 3N2 2009

Dear 3N2 2009,

Here's the shortcrust pastry recipe and their variations.

Shortcrust Pastry
Ingredients

100 g Plain flour
Pinch Salt
50 g Cold butter
40 ml Cold water

Method

1. Preheat oven to 200°C.
2. Sift flour and salt together in a bowl. Set aside.
3. Rub butter into flour until mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
4. Add water all at once. Mix with palette knife to form a firm but not hard dough.
5. Knead pastry very lightly with fingertips till smooth and well-mixed.
6. Roll out pastry on a lightly floured pastry board to required thickness with short and sharp strokes in a forward direction.
7. Wrap in cling-wrap and chill in chiller. Use as desired.

Variation 1: Sardine Tarts
Ingredients
1 no small piece canned sardine
1 no small onion
1/2 no red chilli
1 no lime
1 no egg for glazing
Parsley for garnishing

Method
1. Using medium-sized round cookie cutter, cut about 6 to 8 round pieces of shortcrust pastry dough.
2. Using a teaspoon (tsp), place 1 to 2 tsp of sardine filling into centre of cut pastry dough.
3. Seal and bind edges with with egg.
4. Place on lined baking tray.
5. Glaze surface of sardine tarts with egg for colour.
6. Bake for 20 mins in oven at 200°C.

Variation 2: Custard Tarts
Ingredients
25 g Custard powder
25 g sugar
250 ml Milk
1/4 tsp vanilla essence
Pinch Nutmeg

Method
1. Prepare tart cases for custard tart.
2. Line cut pieces of shortcrust pastry dough in tart casings. Bake blind for 15 to 20 mins.
3. Mix custard powder, sugar and essence with a little milk to dissolve.
4. Boil the rest of the milk for about 5 mins.
5. Add the mixture into the boiled milk and stir constantly until cooked. Take care not to burn the base.
6. Fill the baked pastry cases with custard and sprinkle a little nutmeg.
7. Bake for another 10 to 15 mins.

Have fun!

Cheerios,
Ms. Tang

Practical 3: Hershey's Chocolate Chip Recipe (Creaming-In Method)

Picture 1: Hershey's Chocolate Chip Cookies
Image credits: http://www.hersheys.com/recipes/recipes/enlarge-image.asp?id=5368

Dear 3N2 2009,

Here's the chocolate chip cookie recipe as promised.

Ingredients

90 g Self-raising flour
1/4 tsp Baking soda
60 g Soft butter
30 g Castor sugar
30 g Brown sugar
1/4 tsp Vanilla essence
2 tsp eggs
1/2 cup Hershey's chocolate chips

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°C.
2. Sift flour and baking soda together in a bowl. Set aside.
3. Cream butter with castor sugar, brown sugar and vanilla essence until the colour of the mixture lightens. Add in egg and cream slowly.
4. Fold in flour mixture into the creamed mixture.
5. Fold in chocolate chip cookies.
6. Roll into small balls and line on tray filled with baking paper. Press lightly on cookie dough.
7. Bake for 20 minutes or until colour turns into golden brown.

Have fun!

Cheerios,
Ms. Tang

"Food and Nutrition" by Anita Tull: List of Review Questions by Topics

Dear 3N2 2009,

By now, you should have bought your textbooks. So far I heard from the Bookshop vendor that only 10 of you have ordered the books. What about the remaining 6 of you? Please get your books ready before Common Test.

Below is a list of review questions that you can do to help you understand the topics to date:
1) Week 1 Topic 1: Proteins Pg.5 Q1-Q10
2) Week 1 Topic 2: Eating Disorders Pg.50 Q1 and Q7
3) Week 2 Topic 3: Meat Pg.126 Q2, Q4, Q6-Q20, Q22-Q23 and Q25
4) Week 2 Topic 4: Fish Pg.129 Q1-Q7
5) Week 3 Topic 5: Eggs Pg.115 Q1-Q6 and Q9-Q13
6) Week 4 Topic 6: Dairy Products Pg.105 Q3-Q6, Q9-Q10, Q12-Q20

Happy Revising! For your upcoming Common Test at February Month End, you will be tested on these chapters. Take note. Anything unsure, please approach me for help. I will be around for you.

Cheerios,
Ms Tang

How long do you think French Fries can last without decomposing?

Dear F&N learners,

Below is an extract from the video "Supersize Me". This extract shows a very interesting comparison amongst the decomposition (breaking down) of various types of fast food.

Highlighted in the video were french fries from a popular fast food restaurant, which did not decompose as fast as the rest. They appeared fresh-looking despite several weeks of being placed in the jar. Note that french fries are deep-fried and have the highest percentage of fats. I gather what the director Morgan Spurlock is trying to relate is that:
1)We need to know what makes up our food. What causes the french fries to remain fresh-looking?
2)Note that in all the fast foods used, fats do not break down as easily as the other nutrients found in the food (thus our body cannot break down fats easily too).

Though this may not be a perfect experiment, still it is interesting to note that high fat foods are harmful to our health. Happy viewing!

Brown Sugar Vs. White Sugar

Picture 1: Brown Sugar Crystals
Photo credits: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Brown_sugar_crystals.JPG

Dear 3N2 2009,

The below url link is a write-up on brown sugar, to answer further in detail on Jek Keat's question in class during the last practical lesson (choc chip cookies) on Fri 23 Jan 2009.

Link to read: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brown_sugar

Have fun learning.

Cheerios,
Ms. Tang

Global Food Trends

We as consumers, have shaped what we are eating today. Read on to find out some consumer food trends happening now. Credits: http://www.fonterra.com/wps/wcm/connect/fonterracom/fonterra.com/Our+Products/Dairy+and+Nutrition/Global+Food+Trends

Some of the key consumer trends are:

Indulgence
There has been a move in developed countries for consumers to indulge themselves with luxury products. These products are not necessarily high in calories, but are exciting and experiential. For many this is a treat or reward for sticking to a healthier lifestyle. For example, as a reward for being healthy all week, people choose to treat themselves with more decadent food such as icecream or frozen yoghurt over the weekend.


Healthier Snacking
There has been a move toward healthier snacks in between meals. Afternoon tea is no longer the preserve of unhealthy cakes and biscuits. Healthier snacks are in vending machines. In New Zealand, the government has announced it wants soft drinks out of schools by 2009 and in the US, the beverage industry has agreed to remove all non-diet sort drinks from schools over the next two years. Single serve snacks, nutrition bars, protein bars and mineral waters are increasingly popular.


Food on the go
Busy lifestyles, increasing single person households and apartment living mean people want food on the go, they want it instantly, pre packaged and convenient. The supermarket these days is increasingly used like a pantry or fridge with people making up their minds on the way home from work what they want for dinner. In developed countries nearly 50 per cent of adults shop everyday or several times a week, up from around 30 per cent in 1997 (The World Market for Health and Wellness Products, Euromonitor Report, November 2005).


Dining out
People are eating out more – foodservice is a very important and growing market. For example, some commentaries state that some Americans spend nearly half their food budget in restaurants. In Singapore, according to the National Nutrition Survey 2004, almost half (49.3%) of adult Singaporeans have their meals at hawker centers six or more times per week.

Pointers from Ms Tang: So F&N students, how do you think all these trends can affect one's health and diet? Are they all good or all bad?

Please look through this link which I've found: http://pacifichealthsummit.org/downloads/Obesity%20Prevention%20and%20Control%20Efforts%20in%20Singapore%20-%202008%20Case%20Study.pdf. This link talks about Health Promotion Board's efforts in 2008 for Obesity Prevention
and Control Efforts in Singapore. An interesting read and research for coursework.

Cheerios,
Ms. Tang

How Cheese is Made

This video shows how cheese is manufactured from milk.
Credits: http://www.metacafe.com/watch/263363/how_its_made_cheese/


How It's Made - Cheese - Funny home videos are a click away

Cheerios,
Ms. Tang

Nutritional Tools by Health Promotion Board

Picture 1: The Singapore Healthy Diet Pyramid

These are several url links for your reference.

1. Singapore Healthy Diet Pyramid. This pyramid indicates the four types of food groups and serving portions which a normal Singaporean should take.
URL: http://www.hpb.gov.sg/hpb/default.asp?pg_id=1015

2. Recommended Daily Dietary Allowances (RDDA) For Normal Children and Teenagers in Singapore. This RDDA allocates the different amounts of nutrients which the Singaporean child and teen should take.
URL: http://www.hpb.gov.sg/hpb/default.asp?pg_id=1407

3. RDDA For Normal Adults in Singapore. This RDDA allocates the different amounts of nutrients which the Singaporean adult should take.
URL: http://www.hpb.gov.sg/hpb/default.asp?pg_id=1402

4. Singapore Nutritional Dietary Guidelines. A set of dietary guidelines for Singaporeans to follow.
URL: http://www.hpb.gov.sg/hpb/default.asp?pg_id=865&aid=282

Cheerios,
Ms. Tang

Singapore Health Promotion Board

This is a Singapore website which provides nutritional information for all. Examples include nutritional tools such as the Healthy Diet Pyramid, Recommended Daily Dietary Allowances (RDA), Singapore Dietary Guidelines. Visit http://www.hpb.gov.sg/hpb/default.asp?pg_id=776 for more information.

Cheerios,
Ms. Tang