| Cooks who are new to the kitchen are usually | | | | Fahrenheit, then package and store.Careful |
| far more concerned with making sure their | | | | with chemicals: Never, EVER keep cleaning |
| recipes turn out right than with making sure | | | | chemicals on or near food contact surfaces. |
| they follow all food safety rules. In their | | | | Bumping a spray bottle the wrong way can |
| desperation to make sure their cake, sauce or | | | | cause it to discharge small amounts of |
| roast turns out right, they can create a | | | | cleaning solution, perhaps in the direction |
| bacterial danger zone that will leave their | | | | of your food.Watch out for wood: Wood cutting |
| diners fondly remembering a time when their | | | | boards are attractive, and they're the best |
| intestines didn't feel like they were tied in | | | | for your knife blades. However, cutting meat |
| knots. A few food safety tips can help | | | | on a traditional wood cutting board makes |
| prevent such disasters.Wash, wash, wash: Make | | | | tiny crevices into which bacteria can nestle, |
| sure that all tools and food contact surfaces | | | | becoming difficult or impossible to remove |
| are washed thoroughly with soap and water | | | | during washing. Save the wooden board for |
| after each and every step in the cooking | | | | your salad greens.Most cities' health |
| process. Keep a spray bottle filled with a | | | | departments offer courses in food safety for |
| mix of 1 tablespoon of bleach per gallon of | | | | home cooks. They are usually one or two days, |
| water to sterilize countertops.Watch your | | | | at most, and can be of tremendous worth. If |
| temperatures: Make sure that cold food is | | | | your city doesn't offer one, check online. |
| kept cold and hot food is kept hot. When you | | | | There are abundant resources from the |
| have a large quantity of hot food, such as a | | | | National Institutes of Health and the Centers |
| pot of soup, that you want to store, put the | | | | for Disease Control and Prevention.Andrew |
| pot in a sink half-filled with ice and water. | | | | Krause is a Chef and Pastry Chef for over 30 |
| Stir the soup frequently until the | | | | years, at persent I own a Gourmet Bakery |
| temperature has dropped below 50 degrees | | | | called The Cheese Confectioner. |