SC - re: SC- warming ovens and others

[Gaylin Walli]

Anne-Marie, Adamantius, Caitlin, Dave Gavin, and others kindly
responded to my query about warming ovens and what I could do
with the one I had access to. To all, my sincerest thanks.

Franz from Calontir also kindly wrote and asked:

>You don't give any information describing the device. Given the regional
>differences in nomenclature, this could lead to significant differences in
>the correctness of what we tell you. Can you elucidate?

A large, electric(?) device with at least one door (I've not seen it,
only had it described to me). At least my height (5'8"-ish) and
supposedly used to warm food while you assemble the rest of the meal.
I am told it has shelves, but I am unaware of how many or how far
apart they are spaced. I am told that it is large and perhaps larger
than most people have seen or used. It is located in a Catholic
high school kitchen service area.

I received word as well that I have a convection oven available
to me. Again, never having cooked in one, how do I adjust my
times for cooking? Obviously less time, with what I know about
the oven itself but are there other things? Say, 80 chicken breasts
or chicken on the bone pieces? Or 10 hedgehogs? :) I can figure
out the regular oven rotation, but convection ovens? All I remember
of those from childhood was that they made a lot of noise and
provided the perfect hiding place for things I didn't want my
three brothers and four sisters to find.

Apparently, I also have the food service buffet-style serving table
that holds food for warming as well. You know...trays behind which
ladies and gentlemen stand and scoop out food from stainless steel
metal bins while you slide your tray along top and look skeptically
through the plexi at food you're not sure you can identify? I think
this may be a unit where the metal storage dishes sit in a hot water
bath, but I'm not sure. I don't even think I'll use it with the
feast being so small (2 courses), but it is available if I want it.

It's actually a novelty for me having all working equipment for once.
Any other large gathering I've cooked for has been done on a one
or two burner hot-plate of questionable origin because the stove
was hideous and the oven unregulated unless you used a thermometer.
In a way, that was simpler than all this STUFF. What I wouldn't
give for a good scout campfire...city officials tend to frown
on those things, unfortunately.

I have to confess...This is my first real multi-course feast. I've
really only cooked single course feasts for about 40 students when
I was in college. This feast is for 80 (I planned for 80 because the
tables are arranged to seat 8 at the site and it was easier to figure
out serving sizes that way).

>The ONE thing I will advise is: if you don't know how to use a particular
>piece of equipment, DON'T!  You have a better chance of problems than not.

I was hoping the cooks at the school would be able to show me how
to use it, but a former Head Cook for an event at that site has
volunteered to show me if they aren't available. Rest assured, if
it's "highly electrical and dangerous," I ain't touchin' it without
adequate supervision. :)

>If you can describe it here, I may be able to tell you more. But please,
>don't try to do anything but hold already hot food, and for no more
>than 1 hour if possible.

Okay. No more than one hour. So if I have a red meat dish and a chicken
dish, each served in a separate course of a two-course feast, then I
can cook the red meat, warm it while the chicken is cooking, pull the
red meat out just as the chicken finishes, put the chicken in the
warming oven, and hold it until it needs to be served in the second
course, right? (This, of course, assuming that the world is perfect
and everything starts on time.)

Jasmine
jasmine at infoengine.com
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