In the Kitchen

FOOD FACTS

•Food can only be tasted if it is mixed with saliva.

•Rice is the chief food for half the people of the world.

•It takes four tons of grapes to make one ton of raisins.

•Honey is the only food that will not spoil. Honey found in the tombs of Egyptian pharaohs has been tasted by archaeologists and found edible.

•Coca-Cola was originally green.

•Bananas are not fruit! They are a type of herb.

•Bananas contain a natural chemical which can make a person happy.

•Smelling bananas or green apples (smelling, not eating) can help you lose weight!

•Coffee beans aren't beans – they're fruit pits.

•In its ancient form, the carrot was purple, not orange.

•Ears of corn always have an even number of rows of kernels.

•Onions have no flavor, only a smell.

•Strawberries have more vitamin C than oranges.

•Sweet potatoes were grown in Peru as early as 750 BC.

•Tomatoes were originally thought in Europe to be poisonous.

•The world’s oldest piece of chewing gum is 9,000 years old!

•You'll drink 16,000 gallons of liguids in your life.

•Half of all coffee drinkers drink it black.

•Coffee is the world's most recognizable smell.

•To make one pound of whole milk cheese, 10 pounds of whole milk is needed.

•Broccoli is the food with the best anti-cancer properties.

•Eating lemons makes you live longer.

•Lemons contain more sugar than strawberries.

•Apples are the most popular fruit in the U.S.

•Tea is said to have been discovered in 2737 BC by a Chinese emperor when some tea leaves accidentally blew into a pot of boiling water.

•An average adult eats 2,000 pounds of food each year.

•During your lifetime, you'll eat about 60,000 pounds of food, that's the weight of about 6 elephants!

•On average, a person will spend about five years eating during his or her lifetime.

•There are about 100,000 bacteria in one litre of drinking water.

•Instant coffee has been in existence since the middle of the eighteenth century.

•Temperature can affect your appetite.

•There are around 2000 different plant types that humans use to cultivate food.

•Examples of popular vegetables include lettuce, carrots, asparagus, cauliflower, broccoli, spinach, potatoes and onions.

•The sweet potato is a root vegetable and is not closely related to the potato.

•The word potato comes from the Spanish word patata.

ENGLISH VOCABULARY FOR THE KITCHEN

Some people have a fitted kitchen, where all the kitchen units have been bought together, and they are assembled according to a plan. Other people have a kitchen where the units are free-standing: not necessarily bought together at one time.

In a kitchen you are likely to find cupboards (or cabinets), either at floor level, or at eye level. In the eye level cupboards you will probably find dry goods (such as flour, sugar, rice, pasta, spices) and maybe glasses and crockery (plates, bowls etc). In the floor level cupboards you might find pots and pans: saucepans for cooking pasta etc; frying pans for frying food; baking tins and roasting tins for cooking food in the oven; and serving dishes made from glass or china. You could also find other kitchen implements such as a blender (= food processor) and kitchen scales (for measuring and weighing food). Often the top part of a floor level cupboard has a drawer, where various items are kept, such as cutlery (knives, forks and spoons); aluminium foil (metal paper), cling film (thin plastic wrap), freezer bags, and other kitchen items such as a bread knife, tin opener, corkscrew (to open bottles of wine), potato peeler (to take the skin off potatoes), a rolling pin (to roll out pastry) and so on.

On the top of the floor level cupboards you often find a worktop or work surface, where you can prepare food. These surfaces are sometimes made of marble, or hard wood, and they can be easily cleaned. Some people keep a toaster or microwave on the work surfaces, along with things they need frequently, such as oil, salt, or various sauces.

Most kitchens also contain a cooker with an oven and four rings, (although some modern cookers are split level, where the oven is separate from the rings), a fridgefreezer, and perhaps a dishwasher or even a washing machine. You’ll probably find a kitchen sink, where you wash the plates and dishes, and larger kitchens also contain a kitchen table and chairs, so you can eat in the same room.

FOOD PREPARATION AND RECIPES

Sources: http://humanism.med.ufl.edu, http://www.worldwidewords.org

FOOD GROUPS

•Red Meat – Beef (Cow), Lamb, Pork (Pig), Sausages, Liver

•White Meat (Poultry) – Chicken, Turkey

•Fish – Cod, Haddock, Halibut, Salmon, Sardines, Whitebait, Tuna, Swordfish, trout

•Shellfish – Crab, Prawns (British)/Shrimps (American), Lobster, Mussels

•Vegetables – Spinach, Courgettes (British)/Zucchini (American), Carrots, Potatoes, Broccoli, Mangetouts, Peas, Green Beans

HOW IS THE FOOD COOKED?

•Fish, meat and vegetables can be pan-fried, grilled, roasted, sautéed and baked

•Fish and Vegetables can be steamed

•Vegetables can be sautéed, boiled

•Potatoes can be fried, baked, boiled and mashed

If someone wants a steak, they may ask for it to be cooked rare, medium-rare, medium or well-done.

DRINKS

The customer has the choice of still or sparkling water. A lot of people now ask for a jug of tap water instead of bottled water.

“Here is the menu. Would madam like to see the wine list? We have some excellent red and white wines. However, our house wines are particularly good.”

After an exceptionally good meal, the customer might finish their meal with coffee and liquors like brandy, whiskey and so on.

MENU

Some people like to begin their meal with a starter followed by a main course with sideorders of vegetables and potatoes and often finish off with dessert. Most people find that a three-course meal is enough for them. However, on special occasions it’s great to have a

five-course meal with cold starter, soup, main course, cheese and biscuits and dessert.

THE TABLE SETTING

The typical table setting in a restaurant would have a fork, a knife (steak, fish, bread or standard), a spoon (soup, standard, dessert), glasses (water, red and white wine) and a table napkin (made of cloth). There might also be a side plate for the bread. The main plate will arrive normally with food. Of course a bowl would be better if you’re having soup and a pasta bowl that is wider and flatter is recommended.

•The onion is named after a Latin word meaning large pearl.

•Cutting onions releases a gas which causes a stinging sensation when it comes into contact with your eyes. Your body produces tears to dilute the irritant and remove it from your eyes.

•Pumpkins are usually labelled as vegetables but they contain seeds and are technically fruit.

•The name pumpkin comes from the Greek word pepon, meaning ‘large melon’.

•99% of pumpkins are sold for decoration.

•China is the largest producer of garlic, producing over 10 million tons in 2008 and accounting for over 75% of world output.

•Examples of popular fruits include apples, oranges, pears, strawberries, peaches, bananas, apricots and grapes.

•Technically speaking, strawberries aren't even berries!

•Apples were taken to North America by European settlers.

•The average apple contains around 130 calories.

•It is believed that the saying "An apple a day keeps the doctor away" originated in Wales in the 19th century. Sadly eating apples doesn't guarantee good health but they do have nutritional value and potential health benefits.

•India is the world’s largest producer of bananas.

•In France, people eat approximately

500,000,000 snails per year.

•Humans use many different methods for gathering food which include farming, hunting, gardening, foraging and fishing.

•Humans eat meat from a number of different animals; common examples include meat from chickens, cows, sheep and pigs. Other food products that come from animals include milk, eggs and honey.

•Although humans are omnivores (eating both plants and animals), many people choose not to eat meat and fish, they are known as vegetarians. Those who don’t eat or use any products made from animals (including eggs, dairy products and honey) are known as vegans.

•Food for human consumption is typically made from plants and animals but we also eat other products such as fermented foods and fungus (mushrooms, truffles etc).

•Cooking is an important part of food preparation that involves applying heat. In most cases this transforms the chemical makeup of food, altering its texture, flavor, nutritional properties and appearance.

•Types of equipment used in the cooking process include ovens, microwaves, toasters, grills, pots and frying pans.

•Various cooking methods include boiling, simmering, steaming, sautéing, pan-frying and deep-frying.

•Around 70 million people suffer from food poisoning every year with around 7 million of these cases being fatal. Careful food storage, temperature control and preparation is necessary to avoid potentially dangerous bacteria, toxins and viruses.

British Foods

ages and is almost always found in regions where it was common to keep pigs as livestock. Fairly recently some fast food shops have started serving black pudding battered and deep fried. You will either love it or hate it. Black pudding looks greasy but has a dry texture in the mouth and a strong flavour.

PERIWINKLES

Many English wrinkle their noses at the idea of happy French people gobbling down servings of snails doused with garlic and yet one of the great traditional foods of northern England is the common periwinkle, a form of sea snail. The winkle isn’t large and after they’ve been collected they need to be soaked in fresh water for 12 hours to remove excess sand and salt. Once cleaned, they are boiled and the flesh is then picked out of the shell with a pin giving rise to the term winkle-pickers. They are best served with salt, garlic and butter but can also be served soaked in vinegar if a more piquant flavour is desired. They are generally found on the west coast of England and other Atlantic coastlines. Although quite easy to harvest it takes a lot of winkles to

make a meal and many considered it simply not worth the effort. Because they are so small they were often measured in pints and two full beer mugs is said to be able to feed six children or four adults. Also known as Littorina littorea, this little sea snail still remains a popular treat for those who have learnt to enjoy them.

BUBBLE & SQUEAK

As with many traditional foods from Britain and around the world, they seem to have originated from necessity. Bubble and squeak is a meal made from leftover cabbage and potato usually from a Sunday roast. It is made by mashing either roast or boiled potatoes into the cold cooked cabbage and then frying the mixture in a shallow pan. Other vegetables can be added if desired but shouldn’t overwhelm the flavour of the main ingredients. Salt and seasonings are essential and the final meal should have a strong peppery flavour. The name comes from the way that

any juices quickly bubble off and the cabbage really does make a squeaking noise as it touches the hot metal of the pan. An alternative origin is that the meal once included lamb or goat in place of potatoes and was imported to Britain from Greece. The name might then have come from cockney rhyming slang, bubble and squeak

– Greek. It may look a bit disturbing but bubble and squeak seasoned with salt and pepper is actually delicious. Warning: may produce gaseous reactions.

LAVER BREAD

The best way to describe this food is that it is green, slimy and looks like badly boiled cabbage. And... it’s not bread at all it’s seaweed. Welcome to the Welsh delicacy: laver bread. Laver grows well around the west coast of England but can also be found off the coast of Japan and Korea. The purple variety is considered best and after it has been washed it will need to be boiled for several hours. It is then pureed or

minced and so becomes green gelatinous mass. Apparently, it can be fried and served with bacon, rolled in oats to form a patty or even used as a straightforward vegetable accompaniment for lamb or mutton. As with many foods that look revolting it is said to be very good for you as it is high vegetable protein, iodine and iron as well as several other important vitamins. Laver bread is known as Nori in Japan where they simply can’t get enough of it. It’s a pity that laver bread looks like slimy spinach because it’s said to be tasty and very good for you. Experts claim it has undertones of olives and oysters.

QUESTIONS ABOUT

EATING ETIQUETTE IN BRITAIN

The British generally pay a lot of attention to good table manners. Even young children are expected to eat properly with knife and fork. We eat most of our food with cutlery. The foods we don’t eat with a knife, fork or spoon include sandwiches, crisps, corn on the cob, and fruit.

1. What should I do as a guest?

If you cannot eat a certain type of food or have some special needs, tell your host several days before the dinner party.

If you are a guest, it is polite to wait until your host starts eating or indicates you should do so to show consideration.

2.How should I eat and act at the table?

Always chew and swallow all the food in your

mouth before taking more or taking a drink. Always say thank you when served some-

thing to show appreciation.

When you have finished eating, and to let others know that you have, place your knife and fork together, with the prongs (tines) on the fork facing upwards, on your plate.

It is ok to pour your own drink when eating with other people, but it is more polite to offer pouring drinks to the people sitting on either side of you.

It is ok to put milk and sugar in your tea and coffee or to drink them both without either.

In a restaurant, it is normal to pay for your food by putting your money on the plate the bill comes on.

Informal. You may eat chicken and pizza with your fingers if you are at a barbecue, finger buffet or very informal setting. Otherwise always use a knife and fork.

When eating rolls, break off a piece of bread before buttering. Eating it whole looks tacky. Formal. On formal dining occasions it is good manners to take some butter from the butter dish with your bread knife and put it on your side plate (for the roll). Then butter pieces of the roll using this butter. This prevents the butter in the dish getting full of bread crumbs as it is passed around.

3. What shouldn’t I do because it is considered bad manners?

Never lick or put your knife in your mouth.

It is impolite to start eating before everyone has been served unless your host says that you don’t need to wait.

Never chew with your mouth open. No one wants to see food being chewed or hearing it being chomped on. Never talk with food in your mouth.

It is impolite to have your elbows on the table while you are eating.

Don’t reach over someone’s plate for something, instead ask for the item to be passed.

It is impolite to put too much food in your mouth.

Never use your fingers to push food onto your spoon or fork.

It is impolite to slurp your food or eat noisily.

Never blow your nose on a napkin. Napkins are for dabbing your lips and only for that.

Never take food from your neighbour’s plate. Never pick food out of your teeth with your

fingernails.