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Ministry of Agriculture and Food ONTARIO Jack Riddell. Minister ClaySwitzar. Deputy CONSUNIER UPDATE Rural Organizations and Services Branch Cooking for crowds it) Monica Beaumont Funds and Nutrition Specialist ltural Organizations and services Branch Preparing food for a banquet or liurch supper can be hectic. But if ,mi are well organized and take irccautionat‘y measures (to prevent mud poisoning). your meal is sure to tc a crowd pleaser. First. plan your menu, keeping in ltlIlLl that you'll need adequate oven I‘tLl refrigerator space. It is necessary 0 keep hot foods above 60 degrees "clsius (140 degrees Fahrenheit) and .olLi foods below four degrees Celsius 4t) degees Fahrenheit). When purchasing the food, but on- ‘v from a reputable grocer and check ierything carefully. Never buy tinned goods with bulges, dents or mt spots; frozen foods with a heavy ost buildâ€"up; foods normally refrig- rated from an unrcfrigerated count- r; or cracked eggs. Store everything as soon as possi- xlc, Do not leave foods that should ic refrigerated at room temperature or longer than two hours. Before storing, wrap all meats atrefully to prevent the blood from nipping onto other foods. Store raw .nd cooked foods separately. Just before preparing foods, wash ll counters and tabletops. Wash iands thoroughly with soap and water. It you have a cut, make sure it is overed with a bandage. If you feel ll, ask someone else to prepare the «30d. Thaw all meats and poultry in the .elrigerator. For faster thawing, thaw Goods in cold water. When cutting up meats and vegeta- hles, use a plastic cutting board rather iham a wooden one. Wooden boards ire difficult to clean. In tact. it’s a good idea to have two cutting boards. one Inr cooked lands and another one for ra“ I'uods. Alter cutttng up raw meats and poultry. immediately wash the cut- ting board and knife thoroughly with hot. soapy water and bleach. Hot water alone will not kill bacteria. When preparing large quantities ol' 3 recipe. prepare seieral small pans rather than one large one. The food will not only cook quicker. but “ill also chill faster. Cook meats according to recom- mended cooking times. Never partial- ly cook meats one (lay and complete the cooking the ne.\t day. Vegetables should be cooked as close to serting time as possible to preserve nutrienls. Flavor and texture, but also to decrease the chances of bacterial growth. Refrigerate sandwiches made \\ ith meals as soon ttx they are made. Sunduiches made “ith ground or chopped fillings are more susceptible to contamination. After cooking l'oods. cool them quickly in cold water and then refrigerate. ll' meals are being served in bullet style. place foods in shallow pans and replenish the supply of lood ot'ten. Try to keep hot foods cmered and use a hot tray to keep them warm. Serve cold foods on a bed ol' ice. Make sure individual untensils are available for each food item. Refrigerate leftovers within two hours alter the guests have been served. If you're not sure how long the food has been at room tempera ture. throw it out. H 8: C Summer ‘85 15