Food-Service-Manual-for-Health-Care-Institutions

Food Service Manual for Health Care Institutions
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• Rosemary (leaves): use rosemary sparingly for special accent in cream soups made of
leafy greens, poultry, stews, sauces; blend chopped parsley and a little rosemary with
sweet butter and spread under the skin of the breast and legs of roasting chicken; can be
grown in a kitchen window box or garden
• Sage (leaves): use sparingly with onion for stuffing pork, duck, and geese; pound fresh
leaves and blend with cottage and cream cheeses; steep for tea
• Savory (leaves): string beans, soups, veal and poultry stuffing and sauces, egg dishes, and
salads
• Tarragon (leaves): leading accent in green salads, salad dressings, salad vinegar, fish
sauces, tartar sauce, and some egg dishes
• Thyme (leaves): meat and poultry stuffing, gravies, soups, and egg dishes; can be grown
in a kitchen window box or garden
• Winter savory (leaves): an important accent in chicken and turkey stuffing, sausage, and
some egg dishes; combine with parsley and onion juice for French omelets in winter
Edible Flowers
Edible flowers may be used as a garnish or served as a vegetable, such as stuffed squash flowers
that are deep-fried. The petals of edible flowers such as daisies, geranium, lavender,
marigolds, nasturtiums, pansies, roses, and violets are usually used as a garnish. Flowers must
be fresh and not purchased from a florist because their flowers undergo heavy spraying of
chemicals during their growth.
Summary
The selection of a food production and forecasting system should be carefully considered
because each health care operation presents its own unique demands. A variety of food production
equipment and forecasting techniques have been developed to help operations meet
their specific needs. The food service director must become familiar with all of these options
and their cost and versatility. The selection of a food production and forecasting system appropriate
for a particular operation also requires a thorough study before a decision can be made.
Patients’ food preferences, the availability of a skilled workforce, the quality of food products
available, budget resources, and cost of the equipment needed for a food production system
must all be analyzed.
In this and preceding chapters, procedures for planning the menu; purchasing, receiving,
and issuing the ingredients; and measuring and preparing the ingredients in accordance with
standardized recipes for a specific number of portions have been discussed in detail. Now it is
time to transform the raw materials into finished products, with the objective of producing
high-quality products at allowable costs.
High-quality food production depends on the use of appropriate preparation methods and
equipment by skilled food service workers. Fulfilling the objective of destroying harmful
microorganisms and at the same time producing nutritious, appealing, and affordable food is
the responsibility of the food service director and the production workers. The success of every
food service department depends on the quality and cost of the food served.
Bibliography
Alexander, J. Cook–chill automation. Hospital Food Service 24(3):7–8, 1991.
Boberg, J. B., and David, R. D. Control points during stages of entrée processing in food service.
Journal of Food Protection 40:632, 1977.
Buchanon, P. W. Quantity Food Preparation: Standardizing Recipes and Control Ingredients.
Chicago: American Dietetic Association, 1993.