Chop Suey - HEc

Chop Suey

When we collected our ingredients, we chopped up the vegetables (capsicum, onion, broccoli) with a clean green knife on green board (washed it under the water too so no bacteria; chemical, germ/bacteria, dirt, is left on there), chopped up our meat on the red board with a clean red knife (and collected it with tongs, a red board, and carried it back to our table). Our food is safe because we used the right boards and knives which limited cross-contamination (juices and bacteria spreading), we also cooked the food in the pan, so no bacteria should've survived because it died in the heat. They're either on separate boards or in separate bowls to prevent cross-contamination too.

Our food can be contaminated chemically, biologically and physically (sprays- chemical, bacteria; sneezing- biological, etc, or hair/nail/metal/insect getting into it- physical).

Health & safety procedures prior, during, and after the practical:

Prior: Washing hands (killing off bacteria with soap and hot water), putting on an apron (preventing food from getting onto your clothing), washing down benches with spray and cloth (killing any bacteria that was possibly left on the bench), etc.
During: Using the correct boards and knives (preventing cross-contamination), washing dishes with hot soapy water (killing bacteria stuck to equipment), etc.
After: Washing down benches with spray and a cloth to prevent bacteria from spreading to the next group's food when they cook on that bench (cross-contamination and killing bacteria).

I know my food is safe because: We have carried out the procedures and strategies needed to keep our work area safe and clean to cook and eat. 

HEc- Second Cooking Lesson- Ham Wraps

HEc- Ham Wraps

High-risk food that was used, how you have to handle it to keep safe:
Mayo; high-risk- brought out at the very end so it wasn't just sitting there becoming contaminated.
Ham; high-risk- brought out at the very start and eaten before the end.

Health & safety procedures prior, during, and after the practical:

Prior: Washing hands (killing off bacteria with soap and hot water), putting on an apron (preventing food from getting onto your clothing), washing down benches with spray and cloth (killing any bacteria that was possibly left on the bench), etc.
During: Using the correct boards and knives (preventing cross-contamination), washing dishes with hot soapy water (killing bacteria stuck to equipment), etc.
After: Washing down benches with spray and a cloth to prevent bacteria from spreading to the next group's food when they cook on that bench (cross-contamination and killing bacteria).

I know my food is safe because: We have carried out the procedures and strategies needed to keep our work area safe and clean to cook and eat.

Home Economics - Sushi

The practical on Friday was to make Sushi Rolls!

Skills with the team
Not just one but all four of us were pretty skilled at rolling the sushi rolls. We kept them tight in the bamboo mat and finished them quite quickly.
Improvements
Although we were good at rolling them, next time we should divide the ingredients (mayo, avocado, carrot, capsicum, celery, cucumber, etc) more evenly amongst us. Because (for example) some rolls had a lot of carrot and others not as much.
Time management
This specific period wasn't too bad. We handled everything and got everything done on time. But sushi is quite an easy meal to put together.
Feedback
Like I said, we could divide the ingredients up between us better and maybe get the dishes done a little earlier which I think we'd all agree on. Other than that this lesson was a good job on my half.
Taste, texture, colour
DELICIOUS. It actually tasted better than I thought it would have. The rice wasn't too soft or too dry and the ingredients (other than the rice) gave it that finishing touch. We used red capsicum, orange carrot, green avocado, cucumber and celery, and white mayonnaise. A lot of different colours, textures and tastes that came together well to create the delicious sushi rolls.
Improvements or modifications that can be made
Not much, although meat would be an awesome ingredient, this sushi was vegetarian (I think) so obviously no meat was needed.
Next step for own learning
I think I could help others more. I did help my own group but there were opportunities during the lesson to help other groups but I didn't take those opportunities and I should have.

Home Economics - Friday Cooking Lesson #1

Jam Drops

In Home Economics, we have been learning about the New Zealand food culture history. These include a lot of staple foods such as scones, and our latest challenge in the kitchen, jam drops.
On Friday, a few of my group members weren't here. So another group joined ours and we made a group of four.

The practical/task was to make Jam Drops! Basically just a biscuit with jam in the middle. Sounds easy, right? Not so much.
We found a few struggles on the way, for example, putting the batter together. You had to make sure everything was just right. The butter had to be softened, but not melted- which is what we did. We accidentally melted it. You had to fold and push as you blended the batter, not mix. Make sure the biscuits are equally separated on the tray otherwise they could bake and stick together or fall over the edge. And jam! Oh, the jam. Too much jam and it would overflow or sink through the middle. All sorts of challenges along the way, but in the end, we made them and they were delicious.

They were! They were yum. We tested one and broke it in half afterwards and it broke quite evenly might I add. The colour could have been a bit darker because they were pale when we took them out. But other than that, they turned out really nice.

Feedback from our teacher and our teammates- they could have been left in the oven a little longer. As I said before they were quite pale, not exactly the dark golden we were hoping for.

A lot of improvements could be made while making our jam drops, but I guess that's for the next time we make them.