Chilling out this summer
“Canadians take a more relaxed approach to life and food preparation in the summer months,” says Corinne Dawley of the Beef Information Centre. “Outdoor feasting sometimes relaxes our practice of safe food handling, increasing the risk of food-borne illness.
“Hot weather can affect the safety of our food by raising temperatures to a level where bacteria multiply quickly,” Dawley explains. “Meats must be kept cold at all times – when transporting the food from the store, when defrosting and when marinating.”
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Keeping food cold in a fridge or cooler is one of the key safety messages in a new booklet called Chill Out printed by the Beef Information Centre in co-operation with five other meat and poultry organizations.
“This brochure presents food handling tips in a positive manner,” said Dawley. “The four messages of safe food handling – chill, clean, separate and cook – are addressed in a highly visual and humorous way using a cartoon character, BAC, a villainous bacteria. These fun graphics reinforce the message that Canadians can control their own health through simple food handling methods.”
When asked what is the most overlooked safe food handling practice in the summer, Dawley said many people use the same plate to transport raw food to the barbecue and then to carry the cooked food back to the table.
“Cooking kills bacteria. We must remember to keep the cooked food separate from the raw juices so that we don’t cross contaminate it.”
To receive a free copy of the 12-page Chill Out brochure, call the toll-free line at 888-248-BEEF (2333) or contact your provincial Beef Information Centre or visit the centre’s website at www.beefinfo.org. The site has additional information on safe handling and storage of beef, as well as beef recipes, nutrition facts and quizzes, and tips on purchasing and cooking beef.
Watermelon decorations
Watermelons are my favorite summer fruit. Their cold juicy flesh is so refreshing on a hot summer day. Because of their tough outer shell they can be easily carved into decorative shapes that can be used as attractive and unique serving bowls.
One of my neighbors attended a Flying Farmers potluck gathering and carved a watermelon into the shape of an airplane and filled it with fruit. I have also seen a watermelon carved in the shape of a basket, with a handle and the edges scalloped, and then filled with watermelon and melon balls.
Musty basements
Dear TEAM: I would like some suggestions on how to get rid of a musty odor in the basement.- E.W., Swift Current, Sask.
Dear E.W.: We have a cold storage room in our basement that was a cistern and it is about a foot lower than the rest of the basement so it tends to be damp and musty. I use kitty litter to dry it up and to remove the smell. I spread the litter around on the floor and when it gets damp I sweep it up and then spread it out on the sidewalk to dry, so it can be reused. When there isn’t dampness on the floor, I store the litter in an open pail and it helps to remove the damp odor.
If your musty odor is from wood or drywall that have gotten damp, you could try washing them with a solution of borax (1Ú2 cup/125 mL) and water (two gallons/eight litres). It may also help to wash the floor with this solution as well. If this doesn’t work you may need to remove the wood that is rotting.
Oven cleaning hints
Ammonia is a great grease cutter. The following are some stove and barbecue cleaning hints from Money and Time-Saving Household Hints Vol. I &II by the Leader-Post Carrier Foundation Inc., Centax Books, 306-359-3737.
To clean your whole stove from top to bottom, put all removable parts from your stove and oven into a large garbage bag and pour in a couple of cups of ammonia. Seal the bag with a twist tie and let it sit for several hours or overnight. Rinse clean with warm water. Don’t include knobs that are painted as the ammonia will remove the paint.
To clean the inside of the oven, warm to 212 F (100 C). Be sure to turn off the oven afterwards. Put a small pan with one cup (250 mL) of ammonia on the top rack. Put a larger pan with three cups (750 mL) of water on the lower rack. Close the oven door and leave overnight.
The next morning before opening the oven door, make sure several windows are open throughout the house and turn on the exhaust fan in the kitchen and bathroom. Leave the room until the vapors clear. Then wash the oven with water and vinegar. Use rubber gloves to protect your skin.
If your oven isn’t too dirty, a saucer full of household ammonia placed in the oven the night before cleaning will soften the residue.
To clean oven racks, put in bathtub with a half cup (125 mL) dishwasher detergent. Soak for 30-45 minutes. No scrubbing required.
To clean barbecue grill, put the grill in a plastic garbage bag with an open container of ammonia. Set in the sun for a couple of hours. Take out the grill and rinse clean.
Low-fat cooking
Thank you to L.T. for suggesting a lower fat method of roasting a chicken with vegetables. She suggests removing all of the fat, except for two tablespoons prior to adding the vegetables. Also add 1Ú2 cup (125 mL) of water and continue cooking. We appreciate your comments.
