[Sca-cooks] College Group foods

[Johnna Holloway]

Greetings

I asked Baroness Kay of Tre Asterium, C.L., C.P.
who works in the UM's food management facilities
what would be her advice as a professional at a
university as regards catering.

She asked me to forward this.

Johnnae

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In dealing with a college food service it helps to understand the
equipment and work patterns of such an operation.  We are accustomed to
feeding lots of people and giving them a choice of what they eat, and
doing it all for about $3.00 in raw food cost.  We need to have some
foods ready, and hold them.  Others can be batch cooked, or finished as
needed.  We have certain equipment available that make large quantities
easy, and lack other equipment that is needed for family style service.
We have to be able to control portions either though having the food
served to the guest, or controlling how it is cut and offered.

Most food service operations today do not have the option to supply food
in small serving dishes.  Plated service does not offer the same level
of variety for the feast consumers.

Therefore, I would suggest a buffet approach even though it is less
period, because that way a greater variety of entrees and side dishes
can be done, and if service is controlled people can try lots of
different things.  And it will allow for my favorite service item, Plain
Meat plus Interesting Sauces.  (Ask me for my recent article on this if
you wish.)

The selection of sauces may need to have a bit of recipe redaction to
bring them into line with modern cooking and holding methods.
Breadcrumbs should go in quite close to service, for example.  Cold
sauces, like mustards and Pesto like sauces will be great make ahead
items.

For the 1992 Columbian dinner I did two vegetable raviolis with a pair
of sauces- (one old world, one new world.)  A ravioli in a broth or thin
sauce would hold and serve well.  It would look good and serve well from
a standard hotel pan.

I suggest one of the Chicken Haches, or a similar dish made with cubed
or chopped meat on the grounds that it will look like a casserole to a
Food Service manager.

A firm meat pie could be re-designed to be in a single or double crust
in half sheet pans, very shallow, and cut into diamonds.  Instead of a
top crust it could be topped with pastry cutouts, one per serving.  Let
that cool and stand before cutting, so it cuts clean, like pate.

Meatballs could also be used to present a small amount of a favorite
ground meat recipe.

One of the best pieces of equipment you may find in a college kitchen is
a convection steamer.  Look for at least one dish that will use this
great tool.
Losnges, once you get past the simplicity, can be layers, or noodles
tossed with a little cream and cheeses.

Egg based tarts work like quiche, just a bit different egg and filler
ratios.

Salad is dead easy.  The liaison should write a recipe for the
vinaigrette dressing so that it can be made ahead.

It's a snowy day here and need to go manage my short staff.  Hope these
ideas are of help.  If you want to get in touch my contact info is below
for e-mail.

Baroness Kay of Tre Asterium, C.L., C.P.
<kjarrell at umich.edu>