Christian Chefs Fellowship - Past Newsletters

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MENU du JOUR:
      Appetizer
      Main Course
           Christianity in the Kitchen - "Do You REALLY Believe God?"
           Culinary Learning - "Aussie Tucker"
           CCF Trivia
           Recipe - Macadamia Nut and Bush Tomato Damper
           Recent Job Listings - 14 New
      Dessert
           Recipe Contests
           Hints and Tips
           Featured Website - Cuisine du Monde
           Chef to Chef
           A Little Something Extra
           A Merry Heart
      Toothpick

Thank you for your patience in our skipping a month of the newsletter. God has provided me with a good staff and although I still work long hours, I'm now able to take two days off a week again to spend with my family and also to do all God has allowed me to with CCF.

Do you believe? Do you really believe that God has your best interests in mind? Do you believe He will provide your needs? Do you believe He will help you sort out issues with co-workers? Do you believe He will provide finances when things are tight? When things that you have no control over go wrong (don't go according to your plans), do you believe that God knows what He is doing?

"But you are my witnesses, O Israel!" says the Lord. "And you are my servant. You have been chosen to know me, believe in me, and understand that I alone am God. There is no other God; there never has been and never will be. I am the Lord and there is no other Savior. First I predicted your deliverance; I declared what I would do and then I did it. I saved you. No foreign god has ever done this before. You are witnesses that I am the only God," says the Lord. "From eternity to eternity I am God. No one can oppose what I do. No one can reverse my actions." Isaiah 32:10-13

How can you not believe our God when He says this!? To believe God we must know who He is! When I was asked to write a devotional I wasn't sure how I could relate to all of you out there that work in secular kitchens. Here I am on the other side of the world, Papua New Guinea -- definitely not in the loop about what the latest cooking techniques and newest products are. For those of you who may be wondering where in the world Papua New Guinea is, take a look at a world map and check out the little island north of Australia. So, as I write, I pray that God will enable me to speak to your hearts despite my location and surroundings.

I cook for people who want to know about missions. God leads and enables many to come here for a short time and learn about all aspects of missions. It is quite an exciting time to see God work in these peoples' lives. Of course these 5 week INTERFACE programs don't continue on all year round so I also find myself working in the finance office, painting, building furniture and doing anything else that people need help with.

God has been teaching me a lot about my everyday belief in Him and His Word. So that is what I will share with you today. I often find myself going about my days, thinking of what I need to get done and the best way to go about it. But do I consult God in my everyday happenings? I should. When a Papua New Guinea National comes by my door wanting to sit and chat, do I feel I have to continue what I am doing? Do I brush her off? Or is her visit part of God's plan for my day? After all, I can plan out what I will do today, but God's plan for my day is what is best for me and most pleasing to Him.

When I have no money, do I believe that God still cares and will provide for my needs? I meet people and become good friends with many who I have the privilege of cooking for. I have many friends all over the world. But do I believe God when I have to say goodbye once again? Do I believe He will continue to allow me to have wonderful "wantoks" (friends) as I live here in Papua New Guinea, where people are always coming and going? Loneliness is not very fun. Those are some of the things I have trouble believing God in. What are some of your areas?

I have been doing a Beth Moore study called "Breaking Free" with some of the other ladies here on our campus. God has been teaching me through it. She says, "Trusting an invisible God is not something that comes naturally to any believer. A trust relationship grows only one way: by stepping out in faith and making the choice to trust. This "step" can sometimes seem more than we can take. But God is anxious to help us overcome our unbelief. The ability to believe God develops most often through pure experience. 'I found Him faithful yesterday. He will not be unfaithful today.'" I continue to pray that God will help my unbelief as the father of the boy possessed by an evil spirit says in Mark 9:24.

God tells us to know Him. If we know that He is faithful, all-powerful, almighty, holy and never changing, how can we not believe everything our Lord and Savior tells us He will do? He is not like man. He will never say He will do something and never do it. He doesn't need to be reminded. We forget who our God is; He never forgets all He has promised to do for us. One of my favorite verses is 1 Corinthians 2:9-12, "...No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him. But we know these things because God has revealed them to us by his Spirit, and his Spirit searches out everything and shows us even God's deep secrets... God has actually given us his Spirit (not the world's spirit) so we can know the wonderful things God has freely given us." God wants us to know Him and so He has given us the Holy Spirit to teach us! We just have to desire to learn and grow and God will teach us about Himself! As we know more about Him we find ourselves believing more and doubting less. I am thankful that God is so faithful and patient with me.

For those of you who are a little bit interested in missions, come on over to Papua New Guinea! You can be exposed to all aspects of missions and even help cook, if you so desire. Check out our website: www.ntm.org/missiontrips. Or contact me at the email address below.

INTERFACE
New Tribes Mission
PO Box 1079
Goroka, EHP 441
Papua New Guinea
Phone: 011 675 732 1438
beth_weaver@ntm.org

If God is speaking to your heart about these things, and you need somebody to talk with, please don't hesitate to e-mail us about your need and somebody from the Fellowship will contact you as soon as possible. If you have a prayer request or would like to start a theological discussion on this or any other topic, please feel free to post it in our Message Boards:
http://www.ChristianChefs.org/forums.html

If asked to define "Australian food" most Aussies would say meat pie, lamingtons and a BBQ (cook out). However, the Australian culinary journey started many years before rolling vanilla sponge in chocolate icing and coating it in coconut (lamington) was noted as an Australian icon.

Native or indigenous Australian food "bush tucker" in the last 10-15 years has become more prevalent in restaurant cooking, supermarket shelves and suppliers across the country. Aussie bush tucker comes in a variety of forms such as nuts, seeds, fruit, herbs and spices, meats and vegetables. Many of the items are still only used by the Native Australians, Aborigines. All hunting and gathering, food preparation and cooking of these foods we have learned from them.

As Australia has a wide ranging climate from alpine to tropical, many of the foods are not commercially viable and tend to be expensive and difficult to farm. Items such as kangaroo, barramundi, Tasmanian salmon, macadamia nuts, wattle seed and King Island cream are widespread; however, items such as witjuti grubs, Yolla (a bird) and billy goat plums, apart from being rare and expensive, are an eating experience in themselves.

Having worked in a restaurant for my apprenticeship that had "modern Australian food," I have worked with a few different types of native foods. I'll list a few.

Macadamia nuts (kindal kindal): the world's hardest nut to crack and considered the best eating. They can be eaten raw, salted, dry roasted or roasted with coconut or macadamia oil. A round, pale nut with a green or brown shell depending on time of harvest. Can be used in sweet or savoury cooking and has a distinct flavour which could be compared to the taste of a Brazilian nut and an almond. However, many say it is a nut that stands alone!!
(See recipe for Macadamia Nut and Bush Tomato Damper below)

Kangaroo: has a strong gamey flavour. Its meat is lean and highly nutritious. The meat improves noticeably in taste and tenderness with age. Should not be frozen due to its high water content. Prior to cooking, kangaroo meat should be steeped in oil as it will not sear well without it. 17 cuts are offered from one animal. The legs have the strongest flavour and because of their sheer size, tend to be roasted whole. The tail is generally used for a flavoursome soup with finely cut vegetables. The prime cut of the kangaroo is the striploin and for optimum results, it should be cooked for a short time only and in a very hot skillet (rare to medium rare).

Wattle seed (Acacia victoriae): is a seed that is ground down and can be likened to the taste of coffee. Collecting the seed and processing it is a time-consuming and tedious affair and is general collected by skilled women of the outback communities. Wattle seed is highly beneficial nutritionally. Maximum flavour is brought out when cooked with water. By making a paste ahead of time, it can be kept in the freezer or fridge without losing any of its flavour. It can be used in breads and goes well with dairy products i.e. - wattle seed ice-cream.

Most if not all "bush tucker" requires some inside knowledge on how to get it to a usable product. However, from that point on, most of them can be treated in the same way as we would most ingredients. Make sure that you take into account that the majority seem to be a smaller product but with a stronger flavour and just a tad more expensive.

Ref:
"Tukka - Real Australian Food" by Jean-Paul Bruneteau
"The Food of Australia-Contemporary Recipes from Australia's Leading Chefs" - edited by Wendy Hutton

Questions about this article or any other culinary-related subject can be asked via the "Culinary Q&A" Section of the Message Boards:
http://www.ChristianChefs.org/forums.html

Ingredients:
7 oz (200 gm) roughly chopped dry roasted macadamia nuts
4-6 bush tomatoes reconstituted and chopped (bush tomatoes are very small and come dried so need to be rehydrated in boiling water. You can use semidried tomatoes instead and increase the quantity)
3 cups (720 ml) of self-rising flour
1/2 cup (120 ml) of milk
2 tbsp (30 ml) of sugar
1 teaspoon (5 ml) of salt
1 - 1 1/2 cups (240-360 ml) of water (to bring to dough)

Procedure:
1. Put flour, salt, and sugar into a bowl and rub the butter into it with your fingertips.
2. Add nuts, tomatoes and milk bring together to form a dough adding water until right consistency.
3. Turn out on to a floured board (making sure not to overwork the mixture, as unlike bread, damper needs to be a firm, heavy consistency once cooked).
4. Form into a round freeform loaf, cut a large cross in the centre and put into the oven at 350-375'F (180-200'C) for 20-40 minutes.
5. Served warm with butter or as is. Goes well with soups and hearty stews.

We prefer to list recipes from Christian Chefs rather than from other sources, so if you have any good recipes of your own, please post them in the "Recipes" section of the Message Boards.� Please include an introduction to the recipe with your personal comments of the stories that make them special, and if your recipe is chosen, it will be listed in our website forever and in our next newsletter.
http://www.ChristianChefs.org/forums.html

What is the South African meatloaf-style dish made from ground lamb or beef mixed with bread, rice, or mashed potatoes, onions, garlic, curry, and an egg-milk mixture - with an additional egg-milk mixture poured on top? If you have any history or other added information on this dish, please share.

E-mail your answer to "trivia@ChristianChefs.org" with "Trivia Answer" in the subject column. Also, please tell us what brief title(s) ("Sous Chef," "Dallas, Texas," or whatever - see examples below) you would prefer for your name being listed in the next newsletter, as well as how difficult you found the question (so we can improve future trivia questions).

More information on each of the below Job Listings, such as the job's timeline, responsibilities, pay, and how to contact the employer on each of these, can be found within the Employment area of our website (link below). There you can also find jobs that have been posted in previous months that haven't yet been filled and you can also post any job openings you have to be listed there and in this newsletter for FREE!
http://www.ChristianChefs.org/employment.html

Name = Solid Ground Cafe
Location = Pueblowest, Colorado (USA)
Position = Day Kitchen Manager/Cook

Name = Patrick Henry College (Bon Appetit)
Location = Purcellville, Virginia (USA)
Positions = Cooks, Dishwasher, and Servers

Name = Galley Gourmet Inc.
Location = Atlanta, Georgia (USA)
Positions = Executive Chef and Baker

Name = Pioneer College Caterers, Inc.
Location = Nashville, Tennessee (USA)
Position = College Food Service Production Mgr.

Name = Pioneer College Caterers, Inc.
Location = Barbourville, Kentucky (USA)
Position = Food Service Director

Name = Willow Creek Ranch At The Hole-In-The-Wall
Location = 35 miles southwest Kaycee, Wyoming (USA)
Positions = Chef and Assistant Cook/Housekeeper

Name = Steve's Cape Cod
Location = Ozona, Florida (USA)
Positions = Sous Chef and Line Cook/Prep Cook

Name = Judson Collins Center
Location = Onsted, Michigan (USA)
Positions = Food Service Manager/Head Cook and Kitchen Assistants

Name = The Whitestone Inn
Location = Kingston, Tennessee (USA)
Position = Food Service Director

Name = Kennicott Glacier Lodge
Location = Kennicott, Alaska (USA)
Positions = Chef & Prep Cook

Name = Cannon Beach Christian Conference Center
Location = Cannon Beach, Oregon (USA)
Positions = Assistant Food Services Manager & Cook

Name = Jenness Park Christian Camp
Location = Cold Springs, California (USA)
Position = Food Service Supervisor

Name = Big Horn Mountain Resorts
Location = Big Horn Mountains on lake near Ten Sleep, Wyoming (USA)
Positions = Executive Chef, Sous Chef, Line Cooks, and more

Name = Camp-of-the-Woods
Location = Speculator, New York (USA)
Position = Executive Chef

Please note: Contest Listing(s) below are for PROFESSIONALS ONLY in the culinary industry. There are many more contests available for nonprofessionals as well, some of them ongoing or being repeated on a monthly basis. If you're interested in those, here's one excellent website to check out:
http://www.recipecontests.com

CALIFORNIA DATES 2005 CHEF COMPETITION
Professional chefs are asked to submit their best date recipes in Appetizer, Entr�e or Dessert categories. Date varieties eligible in the competition include Deglet Noor, Zahidi, Khadrawy, and Halawy. The Medjool is not eligible for entry.
DEADLINE: March 11, 2005
PRIZES: Fifteen finalists will be selected. The top winner receives $1,500. Each finalist receives $100 for his or her recipe.
SPONSOR: http://www.datesaregreat.com

2005 VALLEY FIG GROWERS' FOODSERVICE RECIPE CONTEST
Valley Fig Growers' are looking for creative recipes from foodservice professionals.
DEADLINE: March 31, 2005
PRIZES: Grand Prize $2,500.00, First Prize (2) $1,000.00, Second Prize (2) $500.00
SPONSOR: http://www.valleyfig.com

POTATO INNOVATION RECIPE CONTEST
The United States Potato Board invites chefs to get creative with America's favorite vegetable. Categories are Healthly, Ethic and New Classics.
DEADLINE: May 31, 2005
PRIZES: The grand prize winner receives a trip to the Napa Valley and attend the 8th Annual Worlds of Flavor Conference at The Culinary Institute of America at Greystone in November 2005. Three prizes of $1,000 will go to winners in each category.
SPONSOR: http://www.healthypotato.com

All contests listed above are provided by the company listed, NOT by CCF. For additional information on each contest, please contact the designated company for that specific listing. Enjoy!

Soak a lemon in hot water for a few minutes to get nearly double the amount of lemon juice. To use just a bit of juice, pierce the lemon with a toothpick, squeeze out a few drops and replace the toothpick to close the hole.
http://www.fitnessandfreebies.com/archives/chefs1.html

If you know of any great hints or tips, please post them in the "Hints and Tips" area of the Message Boards. Of the ones posted there, one will be featured here in our newsletter.
http://www.ChristianChefs.org/forums.html

This site is great for getting ideas for different meals and functions. It is from all over the world and the recipes aren't too bad. Have a look and keep it in your favorites for future ideas.

"Hi,
I am a student in Chicago getting ready to go back to school. I have a serious question for you. How did you figure out that God was leading you down the road to become a chef? I have a desire to cook; however there seems to be more involved than that, which I might be missing in my evaluating a career choice. Could you please explain a little about what it takes to start off in the restaurant industry after graduating from culinary school? I really need all the advice (about schools and industry info) that I could get and please pass this question on to anyone whom you think could help me out. Thanks and God Bless, Trent Hackbarth"
-TrentH80

If you're searching for particular instructions or cooking techniques or maybe have a special need, you can post these on our message boards. If you've done that and are still in need, please e-mail us and let us know so that we may highlight that need in this section of our next newsletter.

A healthy skepticism of our own motives is a sign of spiritual maturity.
(unknown)

I used to own a bakery and my back store room was open to the back prep room of the restaurant next door. The sous chef came in every day about 7 a.m. and would come in the bakery and get a doughnut. On my bench by 7 a.m., I had a giant bowl of buttercream for the day's cake orders. Upon leaving the bakery, EVERY DAY this guy would swoop his two fingers into the icing and walk out licking it like an ice cream cone. Well...one day I was behind and I was scaling my recipe for buttercream -12 pounds of butter, 8 pounds of shortening. The shortening was on top of the butter and I used a similar bowl for scaling as I did for the icing on my bench. Here he comes... "Good morning," he said, "I'll have a doughnut." On his way out --- swoop with the fingers into the shortening...hahahahah. The funny part of this story is he came back every day and never swooped the icing and we never talked about the shortening.

Remember -- Jesus laughed all the time and probably played jokes and games with the disciples.

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Whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. -1 Cor 10:31 ESV

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Christian Chefs Newsletter
February 2005

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

><> ><> ><> ><> CULINARY LEARNING <>< <>< <>< <><

><> ><> ><> ><> RECIPE <>< <>< <>< <><

><> ><> ><> ><> TRIVIA <>< <>< <>< <><

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

><> ><> ><> ><> RECIPE CONTESTS <>< <>< <>< <><

><> ><> ><> ><> HINTS AND TIPS <>< <>< <>< <><

><> ><> ><> ><> FEATURED WEBSITE <>< <>< <>< <><
Cuisine du Monde

><> ><> ><> ><> CHEF TO CHEF <>< <>< <>< <><
"Advice desperately needed"

><> ><> ><> ><> A LITTLE SOMETHING EXTRA <>< <>< <>< <><

><> ><> ><> ><> A MERRY HEART <>< <>< <>< <><

Christian Chefs Newsletter February 2005