• Created on 2/16/10 by mhall

As the year 2000 approaches us, we prepare for one of the most amazing times for chefs. We have entered through doorways to meet some of the greatest minds and pioneers of our day, bringing us newer technology to provide food for our culture. Yet we also stand at the threshold of some of the greatest problems ever. We walk into the year 2000 with a new ray of hope and a Pandora's box of troubles. The ever-growing legions of chefs that are now entering the food service industry are presented with one of the most distinctive problems approaching us today. As the earth's... read more

• Created on 2/16/10 by lhoy

Question: Short Fuse in the Kitchen There’s so much stress in the kitchen. Often, co-workers and subordinates are disrespectful to me. How can I handle it without blowing up at them?  Answer:Dear L, thanks for your question. When you are dealing with disrespect - you have a right to be angry. The challenge is to be “good and angry” and to work through the anger in a healthy way.It's very difficult working with people who treat you this way and won't take responsibility for their actions and behavior. Time-out: since anger rears it’s ugly head within 1-3 seconds you... read more

• Created on 2/16/10 by ckoetke

There are three major duckling breeds available in the United States: White Pekin, Muscovy, and Moulard. Knowing the differences between the various breeds can help chefs and restaurateurs select the best kind of duckling for their menu or personal needs. *Information courtesy of The Duckling Council (www.duckling.com) White Pekin: The industry leader, comprising roughly 95% of national duckling consumption Mild flavor Data reviewed and approved by the USDA shows that a 3.5 ounce skinless White Pekin duckling breast has only 140 calories and 2.5 grams of fat... read more

• Created on 2/16/10 by kroyse

One of my clients calls younger workers hummingbirds because they flutter from job to job. While it's difficult to get Generation X workers to stay put, it's not impossible. We suggest you follow these strategies: Ask them for their opinions. Studies have shown that one way to reduce turnover with younger employees is to convince them that you value their opinions. Involve employees in decisions, especially when those decisions affect them. Be willing to take the time to meet with and listen to employees, as much as they need or want. There is a difference between... read more

• Created on 2/16/10 by ChefTalk.com

ChefTalk invites chefs, cooks, bakers, culinary students, home cooks, and all food lovers to participate in the first annual digital photography contest, Foodies’ Food Eyes. The competition, open to all interested in the creation of food, challenges you to use your perspective to capture your impression on the world of cooking and food. The winners in each of the two categories (Manipulated and non-manipulated) win prizes and have their photo featured in the ChefTalk newsletter as well as prominently displayed on the site. Submit your favorite impression of food... read more

• Created on 2/16/10 by JackBlack

Imagine this: it's the middle of winter and something as sun drenched and vibrant as citrus fruits are in peak season. In a time when everything always seems to be in season, this may not sound that strange but it's true. Even foods that are as perpetually present in supermarkets as oranges indeed have an optimum period. Though as I write this column it's 8 degrees Fahrenheit outside and hard to imagine anything is actually in season. Oranges are a near-perfect food. One medium sized navel orange has just 80 calories, is cholesterol and sodium free and contains more... read more

• Created on 2/16/10 by JackBlack

The olive is a truly amazing food; there's no question about it. The age, history and uses of this fruit are so magnificent they almost seem inconceivable and made-up, like a myth. It's been around forever, well almost-olive oil and its seemingly miraculous qualities have been appreciated since the birth of western civilization, especially in the countries surrounding the Mediterranean. Cultivation of the olive tree is said to have started more than 5000 years ago and it was an olive leaf that a dove brought to Noah, indicating there was dry land ahead. What's even more... read more

• Created on 2/16/10 by Cristina7

Learn: How to link your Facebook Account to your ChefTalk account How to create a new account using Facebook Connect What does "Facebook User (Private)" mean? How can I message a Facebook User? How to publish to your Facebook Wall How to change your Facebook settings - Change your setting or Unlink your accounts Help! It keeps asking me to link my Facebook account and I can't log in with my normal ChefTalk account.   For Existing Users: Why Link Your Account? Publish your ChefTalk activity on your Facebook wall and activity feed to... read more

• Created on 2/16/10 by mvogel

Will the Real Strawberry Please Stand UpSaint Hildegard was a 12th century German abbess, (the nun in charge of a convent), who supposedly had prophetic and apocalyptic visions.  The theological authorities at the time confirmed her visions as authentic.  In addition to her prophesies about God and the end of the world, Saint Hildegard believed strawberries were unfit for human consumption.  Because they grew close to the ground, she reasoned that snakes and toads contaminated them.  Clearly her "vision" was shortsighted.  According to the Food and Agriculture... read more

• Created on 2/16/10 by eyarnell

Believe it or not, today's mothers spend more hours focused on their children than the mothers of the 1960s did. While we like to hark back to the Leave It To Beaver halcyon days of mothers greeting kids after school with milk and cookies as an ideal for raising happy children, the reality, according to a University of Maryland study, actually looks better these days. Based on detailed time diaries kept by thousands of Americans, mothers in 1965 spent 10.2 hours a week focused on their children in activities such as reading with them, feeding them or playing games.... read more