Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Asafoetida – a name enough !!!!!

In South Indian and Indian Cooking, it is being as a common flavouring agent. What so ever no agents can beat the flavour of this asafoetida, a pinch totally changes the taste and make the cooking as noble.

Asafoetida or hing, releases onion – garlic flavour, have anti- biotic properties which check the growth of microbes, therefore used as a preservative. In my cooking, I use this cupboard item often to make my cooking divine. Experimented, asafoetida tweaks the tastes and recommend you to be add for the following items whatever preparation styles followed,

Tamarind base curry, hot curries, Variety rice, Dal Varieties, leafy base curries, even your lovely biriyani too.

The elder peoples in village says asafoetida have excellent aphrodisiac characters, I tell you the preparation now. Keep a copper bowl over heat to add few grams of hing in pure cow ghee, slightly stir it. After it cooled, mix that one with pure honey and fresh latex of banyan tree. Shape as little shot and dry it. Take it once daily for 40 days before sunrise helps treat impotency and has a good effect on spermatogenesis and premature ejaculation.

Anyway the couples can try out, this divine property have more and more health benefits that all are described in ayurveda scripts.

You know in abroad it is known as Devil's dung… Hey hey see how is it get different..

Monday, April 12, 2010

Examination Menu for the Hotel Management and Catering Students

It is the perfect time for me to write this much awaited topic, the reason is that every year in the month of March and April the students of Hotel Management & Catering studies are running around to compile the menu for their practical examinations.

Even the high scoring students too sometimes may not have the required base in menu planning (F & B Service Practical), even though if they are in their final year of studies.

Each Staff members in catering colleges have their own scripts in matching food & wine. This type of shuffling lecture highly disturbs the students in compiling menu, at the time of they leave the college also he / she goes without knowing anything or confused in menu compiling .

Below are the given guidelines on matching food & wine and the cover laying tips which may facilitate the students for further course of action in this menu compiling,

1. If the menu is for minimum Five course Food and wine, lay the cover for first three courses.
2. Give the description for food and wine
3. Do not pile the cutlery, flatware and glassware on the cover
4. Explain very clearly about the cover lay and menu to the Examiner
5. Try to add the new dishes for each course. Avoid sticking yourself with same dish which you are using  throughout your graduation period
6. Choose the cutlery and crockery as per cover needs, based on the food in menu, these alone lifts the style of the service.
7. Keep the wine glasses in 160 degree angle, around the water glass. First wine glass is next to water glass and the next wine glass follows
8. There is no base for suggesting wine for all courses. Start with light bodied wine, medium, heavy and finally end up with light bodied one
9. Ensure the cover should not be overcrowded.
10. Don't be confuse with the internet sources in the beginning time, stick with the basic ideas what you have received in your classroom.
11. Read the menu carefully and understand the nature of the food what you have listed in the menu card. Pronounce the name of the dish correctly.
12. Always try to be strong enough in the basics. Every time you try to add new dishes and wines for your knowledge enrichment.
13. Think that it is your time to professionalize  your trade so stay comfort from exam fear.

Hoping that these guidelines are very little for me to tell you now. The Hotel Management and Catering students should do the menu planning as one of their hobby thereby they could understand the essence of vastness and deepness in their subject.

Register my instructions. Throw the confusions and say menu planning is damn easy. Get back with your honest reply.

All the best for your Examinations, Score Big Marks