SC - HELP!!!!!

[JEANNE STAPLETON]

> Aemilia wrote:
> 
> I frown highly on the "cook it and store it in coolers" or "par cook 
> it and finish it later at the site" methods, especially for meat.  
> Funny things grow in meat when stored between 90-110 degrees F.
> Funny things that can make people violently ill, especially children 
> or those with compromised health.  I know that I'll probably start a 
> poop storm with this comment, but why risk it.  Cook it away from 
> site, fully refridgerate it then reheat, or just cook it at the site.
> 
This brings up a question.  What does everyone think about asking our
cooks to get a Food Managers Certificate.  The name varies state to
state, but what I am talking about is the basic food handlers class.  It
seems like it was not very expensive, if memory serves, and is a half
day class.  Maybe not all the cooks, but maybe at least one in a local
group?  

Let me tell you a story.  In my first year in the SCA I was employed at
a restaurant in New York.  The day of our event a young couple called to
ask me why the pot of pork casserole (for lack of a better term) was
bubbling with no heat under it.  It turns out they had cooked it
Thursday night, left it on the stove to cook over night, cooked it some
more Friday and again left it on the stove (they said their fridge
wasn't big enough).  I told them to toss it.  Anything creating that
much gas on its own was just scary to me.  They took it to the event
anyway, and when I got there the head cook was about to serve it.

I was able to dissuade her from that, but imagine if I hadn't?  We make
a big deal about safety on the field, but we actually stand to hurt far
more people with a feast prepared by someone that just isn't used to
handling that quantity of food in a safe manner.

Any thoughts?

Alys.
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