The Alternate newsletter – 29 Sep 10
Wednesday, September 29th, 2010
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Wickedfood Cooking School, SUNNINGHILL
Information & bookings (011) 234-3252 sunninghill@wickedfood.co.za
Hi all,
Currently Joburg is being treated to a overload of food shows. Last week The Dome hosted the Good Food and Wine Show and this week Monte is hosting the Taste of Joburg. We take a look at the latter in this weeks newsletter in the awesome website of the week. We also discuss how one can minimize the amount of plastic we use in the kitchen in our quest to be even greener than green beans…
Find us on Facebook and Twitter – just search for Wickedfood and you will find us. We update the blog on a daily basis and publish it through Facebook and Twitter.
Wickedfood Cooking School news
Our October individual cooking class programmes are up on the internet – click on the month for the programme - October.
Monday 04 October at 6pm – Gordon Ramsay – Cooking for Friends 2 (R390 pp). This Gordon Ramsey cooking class is based on his book Cooking for Friends. Love him or hate him, he certainly knows his food. In this book, we see a very different side of him, more relaxed, cooking some best-loved versions of classic British dishes for family and friends, including Shropshire Summer soup, Farfalle with bacon peas and sage, Braised chicken thighs, new potato, pea and broad bean soup, spicy cauliflower stir-fry and a peach, raspberry and ginger crumble.
Tuesday 12 October at 6pm – Sushi 1 – The basics of sushi making (R395pp – maximum 18, so book early). The basics of sushi making – cutting fish, making rice, California and maki rolls, nigirizushi (finger), and hand rolls
Sunday 17 October at 4pm – Classic Italian dishes (R380pp). 6 hearty dishes including chicken liver crostinis, zucchini frittata, pasta with a clam sauce, Osso Buca, polenta and pannacotta.
Monday 18 October at 6pm – 30 minute meals course 1/4 (R380 per class). Includes pasta, rocket and mozzarella salad, Stir-fried chicken breast, Grilled lamb chops and Tuna salad.
Please contact us should you wish to make a booking:
Green ideas for your kitchen? How to Use Less Plastic in Your Kitchen
There are many good reasons to use less plastic in your life. It comes from petroleum, a limited resource. Plastic itself is not good for the environment, and does not degrade well. Some types have BPA, which is a potential endocrine disruptor.
Yet it makes many appearances in most kitchens. How do you avoid it?
At the Grocery Store
When you’re buying food at the grocery store you’re likely to see quite a bit of plastic being used. Wouldn’t you like to avoid it?
In the meat department, rather than buying prepackaged meats you can go to the butcher counter and get the amount you want wrapped in butcher paper in many stores. Some will still use plastic bags to help prevent dripping with certain meats.
When selecting fresh produce, your best bet is to bring your own bags. You can buy inexpensive reusable bags made from lightweight materials very easily.
Milk and juice often come in plastic bottles, but you have options. You can often find them in paper cartons, and sometimes even in glass bottles.
I’m not even going to get into bottled water here. There’s rarely a good reason to buy bottled water from the grocery store. Fill up a reusable bottle at home, using a filter if you really feel the need.
Food Storage
You don’t need to store your food in plastic containers either. Before plastic got so popular, glass containers were used. You can still buy them new or find them at garage sales and so forth.
The main risk with glass is of course that it will be dropped and broken. You do need to be a little careful. But it’s not at bad as you may think. Most glass storage containers are made with fairly thick, good quality glass. They’re not made to break all that easily.
If you’re preparing snacks or meals for on the go, have reusable supplies ready. A good quality lunch bag, small reusable cloth bags, drink bottles and stainless steel containers can all help you to avoid plastic use when you’re taking food with you.
Heating Food in the Microwave
It’s just a habit for many people to use plastic in the microwave. Plastic doesn’t get so darn hot as glass or other containers in the microwave.
The trouble is that heating plastic leads to leeching of BPA and such if present.
Once again, think about your glass containers. Check to be sure they’re microwave safe first, and use a hot pad to take your food out of the microwave.
You don’t need to cover food with plastic wrap to prevent splatters either. An appropriately sized plate on top will do the job quite nicely. You could also use a lid from a plastic container if you like, so long as it’s not touching the food.
Awesome website of the week: http://www.tasteofjoburg.com/tasteofjoburg/ The taste of Joburg
This remarkable festival will be bringing together the city’s most acclaimed restaurants and carefully selected exhibitors to attract 15 000 of Joburg’s most dedicated and sophisticated foodies.
From Thursday 30th September to Sunday 3rd October 2010, the city’s top restaurants and chefs will be serving a stunning selection of sample sized signature dishes to Taste of Joburg visitors.
Don’t go if you are expecting cheap food and lots of it…
Do go if you want to see what the best Joburg chefs are doing in the hottest restaurants in Joburg without the snootiness of fine dining…
Food Joke: “I will not eat oysters. I want my food dead — not sick, not wounded — dead.” — Woody Allen
The Wickedfood Team
Wickedfood Cooking School runs classes throughout the year at its purpose-built Johannesburg cooking studio. Cooking lessons are run in the mornings and evenings 7 days a week (subject to a minimum of 12 people). The venue is also popular for corporate events and private functions – team building cooking classes, birthdays, kitchen teas, and dinner parties with a difference.
Our cooking courses are hands-on, where every person gets to participate in the preparation of the dishes. They are also a lot of fun where you not only learn new skills, but get to meet people with similar interests. For corporate groups and team building cooking classes, these events are a novel way of creating staff interaction or entertaining clients.
Click on the orange RSS feed above to get this newsletter delivered to your email
Wickedfood Cooking School, SUNNINGHILL
Information & bookings (011) 234-3252 sunninghill@wickedfood.co.za
Hi all,
Currently Joburg is being treated to a overload of food shows. Last week The Dome hosted the Good Food and Wine Show and this week Monte is hosting the Taste of Joburg. We take a look at the latter in this weeks newsletter in the awesome website of the week. We also discuss how one can minimize the amount of plastic we use in the kitchen in our quest to be even greener than green beans…
Find us on Facebook and Twitter – just search for Wickedfood and you will find us. We update the blog on a daily basis and publish it through Facebook and Twitter.
Wickedfood Cooking School news
Our October individual cooking class programmes are up on the internet – click on the month for the programme - October.
Monday 04 October at 6pm – Gordon Ramsay – Cooking for Friends 2 (R390 pp). This Gordon Ramsey cooking class is based on his book Cooking for Friends. Love him or hate him, he certainly knows his food. In this book, we see a very different side of him, more relaxed, cooking some best-loved versions of classic British dishes for family and friends, including Shropshire Summer soup, Farfalle with bacon peas and sage, Braised chicken thighs, new potato, pea and broad bean soup, spicy cauliflower stir-fry and a peach, raspberry and ginger crumble.
Tuesday 12 October at 6pm – Sushi 1 – The basics of sushi making (R395pp – maximum 18, so book early). The basics of sushi making – cutting fish, making rice, California and maki rolls, nigirizushi (finger), and hand rolls
Sunday 17 October at 4pm – Classic Italian dishes (R380pp). 6 hearty dishes including chicken liver crostinis, zucchini frittata, pasta with a clam sauce, Osso Buca, polenta and pannacotta.
Monday 18 October at 6pm – 30 minute meals course 1/4 (R380 per class). Includes pasta, rocket and mozzarella salad, Stir-fried chicken breast, Grilled lamb chops and Tuna salad.
There are many good reasons to use less plastic in your life. It comes from petroleum, a limited resource. Plastic itself is not good for the environment, and does not degrade well. Some types have BPA, which is a potential endocrine disruptor.
Yet it makes many appearances in most kitchens. How do you avoid it?
At the Grocery Store
When you’re buying food at the grocery store you’re likely to see quite a bit of plastic being used. Wouldn’t you like to avoid it?
In the meat department, rather than buying prepackaged meats you can go to the butcher counter and get the amount you want wrapped in butcher paper in many stores. Some will still use plastic bags to help prevent dripping with certain meats.
When selecting fresh produce, your best bet is to bring your own bags. You can buy inexpensive reusable bags made from lightweight materials very easily.
Milk and juice often come in plastic bottles, but you have options. You can often find them in paper cartons, and sometimes even in glass bottles.
I’m not even going to get into bottled water here. There’s rarely a good reason to buy bottled water from the grocery store. Fill up a reusable bottle at home, using a filter if you really feel the need.
Food Storage
You don’t need to store your food in plastic containers either. Before plastic got so popular, glass containers were used. You can still buy them new or find them at garage sales and so forth.
The main risk with glass is of course that it will be dropped and broken. You do need to be a little careful. But it’s not at bad as you may think. Most glass storage containers are made with fairly thick, good quality glass. They’re not made to break all that easily.
If you’re preparing snacks or meals for on the go, have reusable supplies ready. A good quality lunch bag, small reusable cloth bags, drink bottles and stainless steel containers can all help you to avoid plastic use when you’re taking food with you.
Heating Food in the Microwave
It’s just a habit for many people to use plastic in the microwave. Plastic doesn’t get so darn hot as glass or other containers in the microwave.
The trouble is that heating plastic leads to leeching of BPA and such if present.
Once again, think about your glass containers. Check to be sure they’re microwave safe first, and use a hot pad to take your food out of the microwave.
You don’t need to cover food with plastic wrap to prevent splatters either. An appropriately sized plate on top will do the job quite nicely. You could also use a lid from a plastic container if you like, so long as it’s not touching the food.
Awesome website of the week: http://www.tasteofjoburg.com/tasteofjoburg/ The taste of Joburg
This remarkable festival will be bringing together the city’s most acclaimed restaurants and carefully selected exhibitors to attract 15 000 of Joburg’s most dedicated and sophisticated foodies.
From Thursday 30th September to Sunday 3rd October 2010, the city’s top restaurants and chefs will be serving a stunning selection of sample sized signature dishes to Taste of Joburg visitors.
Don’t go if you are expecting cheap food and lots of it…
Do go if you want to see what the best Joburg chefs are doing in the hottest restaurants in Joburg without the snootiness of fine dining…
The Wickedfood Team
Wickedfood Cooking School runs classes throughout the year at its purpose-built Johannesburg cooking studio. Cooking lessons are run in the mornings and evenings 7 days a week (subject to a minimum of 12 people). The venue is also popular for corporate events and private functions – team building cooking classes, birthdays, kitchen teas, and dinner parties with a difference.
Our cooking courses are hands-on, where every person gets to participate in the preparation of the dishes. They are also a lot of fun where you not only learn new skills, but get to meet people with similar interests. For corporate groups and team building cooking classes, these events are a novel way of creating staff interaction or entertaining clients.
