Posts Tagged ‘outdoor celebrations’

© Chef LaLa

Rental companies, which you can find online or in the yellow pages, supply everything from tables and chairs to plates and tablecloths.  If you entertain often and have a place to store items you are not currently using, it is a better investment to purchase tables, chairs, serving pieces and everything else you need that you can continue to use.  To determine whether to buy or rent, considering the following…

1. What is your budget?
2. What type of event and how formal?
3. How many guests you will have and what age group?
4. How often will you use the items?
5. How much space do you have to work with?
6. How much storage space do you have for the items while not in use?
7. Do you prefer plastic, wood or other materials?

From here you can decide whether it makes sense to purchase stackable plastic chairs or rent and whether you will need tables and what kind, etc. By knowing your budget, type of event and the number of guests, it will be easy to determine what makes sense as costs vary by style and quantity. For informal gatherings, many people will stand which means you don’t need a table and chair to seat every guest; however formal gatherings require more formal seating.  Additionally, consider time and weather.  How long will people be seated? Will they be outside and in what type of weather?  Opt for more comfortable seating surfaces for events that require sitting for long periods and if outdoors keep in mind that metal chairs can get very hot and fabric or wood chairs stay wet after rain. Also consider umbrellas or tents for outdoor shade during the day.  There are many other factors to consider when entertaining, but start with making sure your guests feel comfortable and welcome.

© Chef LaLa

Foodborne illness, also known as food poisoning, increases in the summer months when the weather is warmer, because people have more picnics, barbecues and camping trips where there isn’t adequate refrigeration.  Additionally, warmer weather and humidity enable bacteria to grow faster.  Following a few simple rules should help you protect your family… 

 

© Chef LaLa

Foodborne illness, also known as food poisoning, increases in the summer months when the weather is warmer, because people have more picnics, barbecues and camping trips where there isn’t adequate refrigeration.  Additionally, warmer weather and humidity enable bacteria to grow faster.  Following a few simple rules should help you protect your family… 

1. Clean: Wash Hands and Surfaces Often.  Unwashed hands are a prime cause of foodborne illness. Wash your hands with hot, soapy water before handling food and after using the bathroom, changing diapers, and handling pets. Be sure to keep cutting surfaces and utencils clean too. When eating away from home, find a source of clean water or bring water for preparation and cleaning. Pack clean, wet, disposable washcloths or moist towelettes and paper towels for cleaning hands and surfaces.
2. Separate: Don’t Cross-Contaminate. Cross-contamination during preparation, grilling, and serving food is a prime cause of foodborne illness. When packing the cooler, wrap raw meats securely and store separately to avoid raw meat juices from coming in contact with ready-to-eat food. When using the grill be sure to keep meats chilled until they go on the grill and wash plates, utensils, and cutting boards that held the raw meat or poultry before using again for cooked food.
3. Cook: Cook to Proper Temperatures. Food is properly cooked when heated for a long enough time and at a high enough temperature to kill harmful bacteria that cause foodborne illness. Use a meat thermometer to be sure that meat and poultry cooked on a grill is cooked thoroughly as it often browns very fast on the outside. Cook hamburger and other ground meats (veal, lamb, and pork) to an internal temperature of 160 °F, and ground poultry to 165 °F. Cook steaks and roasts that have been tenderized, boned, rolled, etc., to an internal temperature of 160 °F for medium and 170 °F for well-done. Whole steaks and roasts may be cooked to 145 °F for medium rare. Whole poultry should be cooked to 180 °F in the thigh; breast meat to 170 °F. Cook meat and poultry completely at the picnic site. Partial cooking of food ahead of time allows bacteria to survive and multiply to the point that subsequent cooking cannot destroy them.
4. Chill: Refrigerate Promptly. Holding food at an unsafe temperature is a prime cause of foodborne illness. Keep cold food cold! Cold refrigerated perishable food like lunch meats, cooked meats, chicken, and potato or pasta salads should be kept in an insulated cooler packed with several inches of ice, ice packs, or containers of frozen water. Consider packing canned beverages in one cooler and perishable food in another cooler because the beverage cooler will probably be opened frequently. Keep the cooler in the coolest part of the car, and place in the shade or shelter, out of the sun, whenever possible. Preserve the cold temperature of the cooler by replenishing the ice as soon as it starts melting. If a cooler chest is not an option, consider taking fruits, vegetables, hard cheeses, canned or dried meats, dried cereal, bread, peanut butter, crackers, and a bottle of refreshing beverage. If you don’t plan to eat take-out food within 2 hours of purchase, plan ahead and chill the food in your refrigerator before packing for your outing.

Food left out of refrigeration for more than 2 hours may not be safe to eat. At 90 °F or above, food should not be left out over 1 hour. Play it safe; put leftover perishables back on ice once you finish eating so they do not spoil or become unsafe to eat. If you have any doubts, throw it out.