Christian Chefs Newsletter
April 15, 1999

OUTLINE:
           Introduction
           Christianity in the Kitchen - The Scattered Church
           Learning Subject of the Month - Truffles
           Featured Recipe - Mom's Bran Muffins
           Recent Job Listings
           Featured Website - "Religion Today"
           Clarification of Last Month's Newsletter


Welcome! I pray that those who didn't have to work a 14 hour shift on Easter day had a wonderful Easter, the best holiday of the year! God has been blessing the new "Employment Opportunities" area of our website! Even though it opened only one month ago, we've been receiving more and more new job listings every week.

Since the last newsletter, we've also opened a new area of the website dedicated to archiving the "Christianity in the Kitchen" and the "Learning Subject of the Month" articles. This makes it easy for you to view articles from all the past newsletters without having to remember what months they were in since they're now listed alphabetically by subject. Just click on the "Newsletter Articles" link on our homepage (or click HERE).

God permitting, next month we will have a new section in this newsletter (as well as on our website) for cooking contests. Those of you who have been to culinary school know how easy it is to find cooking contests that are only available for students. And other contests, like Pillsbury's $1 Million Bake-Off Contest, are only available to those who have no affiliation with our industry. It seems that once you get out into the "real" world, there are no more contests anywhere. If you know or hear of any good contests, and you have a heart to share this knowledge with your brothers and sisters in Christ, please e-mail us with that information or with ideas of ways to find out that information.


><> ><> ><> ><> CHRISTIANITY IN THE KITCHEN <>< <>< <>< <><

THE SCATTERED CHURCH

Before reading this article, please read Acts chapter 8. I will quote a couple of verses but you really should read the entire chapter of Acts.

First, let me introduce myself. My name is Scott Brewer. I was a chef for seven years. The Lord has called me into full time Christian service as the minister of missions at Mount Vernon Baptist Church in Raleigh.

After reading Ira's article on the Sabbath in last month's newsletter, the Spirit moved on me to write this article.

I ask you this my brothers, do you GO to church or ARE you the church?

In the Spanish language, the word "tempeo" means the BUILDING that we worship in, the word "iglesia" means the BODY OF BELIEVERS that makes up the church. Our English language has done a poor job in distinguishing between the two.

           --- "On that day a great persecution broke out against the church at Jerusalem, and all EXCEPT the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria." Acts 8:1 ---

Notice how the church began. When the church was persecuted, the Apostles, or the preachers, stayed in Jerusalem. The members were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria.

           --- "Those who had been scattered preached the word WHEREVER they went." Acts 8:4 ---

Now the American Church today is not facing that type of persecution. However, there are churches in India, China and other countries that ARE! But let's face it: the main reason most of you have to work on Sunday is because our country does not respect Christ and what He stands for. In my parents' generation, most restaurants (hotels excluded) were not allowed to open on Sunday. And those hotels that WERE open, worked real hard to schedule rotating Sundays so their employees could worship. As an ex-Marriott chef I can testify that ain't gonna happen today.

God wastes nothing!! When the first century church was persecuted, He USED that persecution to bring glory to Himself. He will not waste the fact that you are not allowed to support your family and go to Church on a regular basis. YOU ARE THE CHURCH. Start a Bible study within your local Chef association or start a Bible study within your place of employment. Meet in the mornings---meet in the evenings---meet on weekdays. Partner with another Christian and rotate teaching. Plant your own church where you're at right now. That is what the first century church did.

Also stand up for Christ at work. Lifestyle evangelism is only a start. Do not be afraid to use your mouth and witness. Make sure everyone you work with knows that you stand for Jesus. Yes, I know that people will laugh at you, people will talk about you behind your back, and people will act differently around you. HEY, your life is not your own! We are only here for a short while and we will never fit in with the world. Just remember: Persecution = crowns to lay at Jesus' feet.

Finally brothers, [In Saying "Finally", that does not mean much in Christian letters, and it is biblical. In Philippians 3:1 Paul says, "Finally my brothers..." and then ends the letter in 4:23. :>) ] "remember to stay sweet." In the profession God has placed you in, complaining, second-guessing, egos, and pride are the standard. You need to remember that God is in control and be a sweet witness for Christ in your situation. Witness without pushing it down their throats.

Let your co-workers see you pray before you eat, or offer to lead them in prayer before you open or the rush hits. Hum a hymn during stressful times. Offer to pray for them and then DO pray for them. God has put you where you are -- SO MINISTER WHERE HE HAS PLANTED YOU! You are a Christian remnant in a pagan profession. Allow God to use you and give Him the glory for what He shall do.

"Rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say rejoice." Philippians 4:4

By Rev. Scott Brewer

If God is speaking to your heart about these things, and you need somebody to talk with, or if you have any specific prayer requests, please don't hesitate to e-mail us about your need and somebody from the fellowship will contact you as soon as possible.


><> ><> ><> LEARNING SUBJECT OF THE MONTH <>< <>< <><

TRUFFLES

Hi everyone! My name is Shara. I am going to teach you the best I can, how to make truffles. I have made truffles for years. For some of you that do not know what they are, they are chocolates from heaven. They kind of look like a bon-bon. They are very rich with flavor and have a mousse-like center. I taught myself how to make them right before I started culinary school. Over the years I have learned tricks to make them better. So here goes...I hope I am helpful and you can understand my directions.

EQUIPMENT NEEDED
A small sauce pan about three inches deep
A crock pot or a large metal bowl with a water bath or a double boiler
Metal spoons
Lots of pairs of rubber gloves {like the ones doctors use, or the ones you use on dish-up lines, not the yellow dish gloves}
A bowl for the ganache when it is done
Measuring cups
Parchment paper or wax paper (you will need lots)
A fork
A light bulb that is plugged into an outlet {you don't have to have this but it will help you to smooth out the bottoms of the chocolates}
About two days to prepare from start to finish
Sheet pans
Paper candy cup holders

TRUFFLE MIX
1 pint heavy cream
16 to 24 oz of chocolate chips
Flavoring oils if you want flavors or liqueurs (like Grand Mariner, or Bailey's Irish cream or orange oil, hazelnut oil, coffee oil, etc.)
2 LB dipping chocolate (try to find a quality dipping chocolate because some set up gray or grainy)
White chocolate, dark chocolate, milk chocolate for decoration if you wish

STEP 1. Heat your heavy cream in a small saucepan to just before boiling (about 180 degrees).

STEP 2. Add the chocolate chips a little at a time, stirring to melt. Add at least 16 oz to the mix. After that has melted, the mix should be thick, like pudding. It should not run off the spoon in a stream. It should be fairly thick. Also DO NOT USE A WOODEN SPOON TO STIR WITH. Make sure you use a metal spoon that is dry. Do not let any water come in contact with your chocolate. (The reason you do not use a wooden spoon is because wooden spoons sometimes do not dry fully and the water will cause your chocolate to lump up into a grainy mess.)

STEP 3. While your ganache is hot, add your flavor to it or you can leave it plain. I like to use flavoring oils. I add a few drops at a time until I can taste a nice flavor. With the liqueurs, you need to add about three tablespoons. You may need to adjust the chocolate also, to make it thick. The small bottles you see at the liqueur stores or the tiny one like the airlines serve are about the right size to add. You can add the whole bottle.

STEP 4. Place your ganache now in a bowl to cool. Let it cool at room temperature uncovered for about two hours. Then place it in the refrigerator to cool about 24 hours or so. Cover the ganache after it has been in the refrigerator for about two hours.

--THE NEXT DAY--

STEP 5. Place your dipping chocolate into a crock pot. I like to use this method due to the fact you can melt the chocolate to body temp and lower by turning on low and turning it off as you go. I have had less overheating of the chocolate this way. If your chocolate overheats, you will know it. It will lump up and become hard to stir and dipping is not an option at this point with that chocolate. The package will tell you to add shortening to the chocolate to smooth it out but this does not stick to the centers very well.

You may also use a double boiler but I also hate this because the water sometimes gets too hot too fast and ruins your chocolate or the little bit of steam that might rise out of it makes the chocolate ruin due to the water getting into it. That is why they have tempering machines, so that no water comes in contact with the chocolate. So my crock-pot is like a cheap tempering machine. Make sure to stir the dipping chocolate as you go because, again, it can get too hot.

STEP 6. Now you are ready to roll your centers. The cold ganache should feel like clay. If it does not feel like clay, then you need to reheat it and add more chocolate. If the chocolate is ready, get two sheet pans out and line them with parchment paper and/or wax paper. Now put on your gloves...this helps keep your hands clean and also helps keep your hands from melting the chocolate as you roll them into balls. You have to work fast but try to make them as round as you can. You want about an inch round ball or smaller if you need it to be. That is up to you. Or they can be a little over an inch but when dipped they are huge. I like to make mine about an inch or so. Mine still are bigger then some.

STEP 7. Take the chocolate into your hands and roll, placing them on the sheet pans. Do not let them touch each other. When you are finished with one sheet pan, place in the freezer. Same with the other. You can now freeze them for at least two hours and I freeze them sometimes longer. You want them to be fairly hard so they don't melt away.

STEP 8. Take one pan out of the freezer and let thaw just a little, about 10 minutes or so. Place parchment paper on the table and dip one at a time, using a metal fork. This is the tricky part. The chocolate wants to stick to the fork. All I can say is this part will take practice. Soon you will be able to set them down without tearing up the bottoms. You do not want them to drain too much on the fork because it will start to dry on it and stick. Also sometimes the chocolate cracks...just dip it again. It will be bigger, but the crack will be gone. Also, as you dip, you may need to add more dipping chocolate to the crock pot and also turn on the heat and turn it off. When you are done, you can clean up the edges with the light bulb. Make sure you wear the gloves so you do not leave fingerprints all over the chocolate. This also has to be done very fast, because the chocolate will melt on the sides.

STEP 9. Decorate by using melted pure chocolate, like white, milk, or dark chocolate. You can do spirals, squiggly lines, and stripes or whatever you feel like putting on them (coffee beans for the coffee ones, nuts, etc.) A fork can pull the chocolate out from the sides to make it have a tacky look. Then place them in paper candy cups. They are beautiful and people will love you for them. I make them as Christmas gifts and sometimes I sell them. They are well worth the energy and time spent making them.

Recipe yields 24 to 40 truffles depending on size.

I have some web pages of pictures that might interest some of you:
http://www.chocolategod.com/fantasy.htm - this is my favorite sight so far
http://www.chocolategod.com/truffles3.htm
http://www.vosgeschocolate.com/

FYI.
Dipping chocolate or dipping candy coating can be found at most grocery stores. Some craft stores have wedding supplies. (Michael's is one of them.) Wal-Mart sometimes will have it. Sam's Wholesale Club {part of Wal-Mart Co.} has the Ghirardelli chocolate. Some wedding specialty shops and party supply places have the dipping chocolates. Some caterers, bakeries, and candy shops may be able to order it for you. Also, you can always ask those who are in business for themselves where they get their supplies. Some wholesalers have cash and carry places that carry it. We have Sysco here that has cash and carry that sells to the public.

My favorite brands to use are Eagle Brand candy coating, and Ghirardelli dipping chocolate. Wilton also makes a product called candy melts that will work also. You can use melted down chocolate if you have to. I have done it, but you have to be careful with all of the dipping chocolate not to get it too hot. If it gets too hot, it will become grainy and or get gray-streaked. I do not temper my chocolate but some of you might. I like the consistency of non-tempered chocolate better. If you would like to temper your chocolate, most better cookbooks will have directions. Most chocolate out there I have found has been tempered anyway, and is pretty stable. You do have to make sure NO water gets near it or in it and it does not get much hotter than body temperature. If it burns your skin or seems hotter than your skin, it is too hot.

Also chocolate works best on clear, non-humid days. Do not make truffles when it is raining outside. The air can be too moist and cause the chocolate to lump up and be grainy. This causes a mess and the truffles will not look pretty. The chocolate will not evenly coat the truffles and you will lose your dipping chocolate, which costs money. Also, you can roll the ganache centers in crushed nuts, cocoa, powdered sugar, sprinkles, and other things that would stick to the ganache and make it easy to pick up. Some have even rolled them in black sesame seeds but that does not sound wonderful to me. You can see a picture of the sesame seed truffle on one of the web pages I have listed. That one also has wasabe in it-YUCK!-not my idea of a good mix with chocolate, if you ask me. Use your imagination. Some also use candy molds, painting the dipping chocolate on the inside of the molds and then putting the ganache in the middle and finally, sealing it with dipping chocolate to have different shapes. The truffles sell for about $2.00 to $3.00 apiece in most shops, so you could also make good money if you wanted to make them as a career. I have sold some. One batch I made, I sent 72 truffles and I made $118.00. This was the first batch I ever sold, so I will tell you I will go up on the price because my customer had well over 10 lb. of chocolate sent to her. Most places charge $24.00 to $35.00 per pound. Anyway, it was a wonderful learning experience for me. Have lots of fun with them and don't get frustrated too easily. It takes time and practice.

By Shara Lunn
SLL0902@aol.com
Feel free to e-mail me with any questions about this. If you do e-mail me, please include the word "Truffles" in the subject column of your e-mail.


><> ><> ><> ><> FEATURED RECIPE <>< <>< <>< <><

MOM'S BRAN MUFFINS

I have used this in camps, restaurants, and best of all my family loves these. We always make extra to freeze for later. These also work great at high altitude, just keep an eye on your bowl or you will be sorry! :-)

Yield: 30 and 240 #12 Scoop size muffins

Ingredients:
1 cup/250ml : 2 qt/1L Boiling Water
3 cups/680gm : 4 boxes All-Bran cereal
.5 cup/113gm : 2 lb/900gm Butter or Margarine
2 cups/250ml : 2.5 Gal/9.5L Buttermilk
1.5 cups/340gm : 6 lb/2.7kg Granulated Sugar
2 : 16 Eggs
2.5 cups/280gm : 5lb/2.3kg All Purpose Flour
2.5 tsp./1.25gm : .5 cup/113gm Baking Soda
1 tsp./6gm : 2T/38gm Salt

Procedure:
1) Bring water to boiling point and add shortening and All-Bran. Set aside to cool.
2) Add buttermilk.
3) Beat sugar and eggs together and add to All-Bran mixture.
4) Mix dry ingredients and gradually add to liquid mixture.
5) Bake in greased muffin tins at 350 degrees for 25 minutes.

Note: You may cook up all the batter at once or save in refrigerator for up to six weeks and bake as needed. (Personally, I bake off all the muffins and package in foil, six to a package, and freeze them.)

Submitted by Diane Boone, Southern California Representative and High Altitude Chef


><> ><> ><> ><> JOB LISTINGS <>< <>< <>< <><

If you're currently looking for a job, there are two areas to this program that may fit your employment needs. The first is a listing of ALL the jobs available. For those of you who have a desire to work in a specific location, you may also view the listings by state.

Employers: there are a variety of tools to aid you in your search for a new cook or chef. You may post a job within our website, and once that is done, you can modify it or remove it at any time. The form to use to submit a new job can be easily found by going to the "Employment Opportunities" area of our website (link below) and following the simple instructions to post your listing. This is another of the many FREE things made available to you by this Fellowship.

Listed below, and available for your viewing in the website, are the jobs that have been submitted to us this month. Some people who are receiving this newsletter (particularly through Juno e-mail) may be unable to view these listings. Those of you affected by this can e-mail us with "E-mail Job Listings" in the subject column and we will send you the details on any job that might fit your needs.

Go HERE to enter the Employment Opportunities area.

**
Name = Thousand Pines Christian Camp and Conference Center
Location = Crestline, CA
Timeline = Full Time, Year Round
Position = Lead Cook
Responsibilities = Cooking Meals, Supervising
Pay = $6.50-$7.50 Per Hour
Contact:
           Tina Spence (Food Service Manager)
           tpcamp@aol.com (Attn: Tina)
           Phone = (909) 338-8135
           Fax Resume To (909) 338-3511
**
Name = Marmon Valley Farm Camp
Location = Zanesfield, OH
Timeline = Seasonal
Position = Assistant Kitchen Manager
Responsibilities = Oversee meal preparation & clean up, direct other kitchen staff.
Pay = Room & Board + Fixed Salary, or Hourly if offsite.
Contact:
           Steve Olsen
           mvf@logan.net
           7754 St. Rt. 292
           Zanesfield, OH 43360
           Phone = (937) 593-8000
           Fax = (937) 593-6900
           www.marmonvalley.com
**
Name = Awanita Valley Christian Retreat Center
Location = Marietta, SC
Timeline = Full Time - Year Round
Position = Food Service Manager
Responsibilities = Ordering food, paper, and cleaning products; supervising kitchen staff; aiding in meal preparation for 9000 campers/year; aiding in housekeeping
Contact:
           Jerred Roberts
           102 Awanita Camp Road
           Marietta, SC 29661
           awanita@classic.msn.com
**
Name = Pembina Valley Bible Camp
Location = Darlingford, Manitoba, Canada
Timeline = Seasonal June 24 - Aug 24 or parts of it
Position = Head Cook
Responsibilities = Prepare meals for 50 people, supervise 2 assistant cooks
Pay = Volunteer, room and board, can pay for fuel to get here
Other = Evangelical Christian camp. We operate camps for youth going into grades 6 and up. Our camps are 8 - 10 days in length. We have a maximum of 32 campers at a time.
Contact:
           Brent Ankrom
           R.R.#1
           Darlingford, Manitoba
           Canada
           Phone = (204) 246-2008
           pvcamp@mb.sympatico.ca


><> ><> ><> ><> FEATURED WEBSITE <>< <>< <>< <><

RELIGION TODAY

Religion Today is an extensive weekday news report covering church-state issues, religious freedom and persecution, evangelism, and revival from around the world. Important news events are often overlooked by the mainstream media, so Religion Today provides eye-opening information that will keep you informed on key issues affecting the church and society. It includes a searchable archive of both feature stories and daily news summaries.

www.religiontoday.com


><> ><> CLARIFICATION FROM LAST MONTH'S NEWSLETTER<>< <><

Last month's "Christianity in the Kitchen" article about the Sabbath may have caused some people to disagree that Sunday is the Sabbath. A few denominations may be holding true that Saturday is the Sabbath, but most evangelical Christians set Sunday aside to be that day because that is the day Jesus rose from the dead for ALL our sins. Although Sunday is the day most choose, what is most important is to choose any one day out of the week and offer it to God. If you have any additional questions or comments, feel free to e-mail us at the below address.


><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><>            <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <><

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God Bless,
Ira Krizo, Director

Christian Chefs Fellowship
ChristChef@aol.com
http://www.ChristianChefs.org
P.O. Box 608
Crestline, CA 92325-0608
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