Caffeine and Community

If you’re like me, you probably long for the good ol’ days when you stopped for a gourmet coffee every morning on the way to work (sigh).  How about some temporary relief?  According to Businessweek’s site, Starbucks is offering just that—one free coffee for the price of a little volunteerism.  From January 21^st through January 25^th, all you have to do is sign a pledge card to donate five hours of time to a local cause of your choice.  The promotion is set to coincide with the inauguration of Barack Obama as President; part of his campaign platform was a call for more community service.

 

Caffeine and community—I’m thinking it’s a great combination….and it may just lead to increased coffee sales.  (Dare I hope for a report from Starbucks post-promo?)

How to Clean and Disinfect Wooden Cooking Utensils

How to Clean and Disinfect Wooden Cooking Utensils

Wooden spoons by the dozen.

Ever dig up an old wooden spoon from the backyard and say to yourself, “I wish I could clean this baby up and stir some soup with it? Sure, we all have. Well, don’t worry, these simple steps and tips will give you the ability to clean and disinfect just about any wooden cooking utensil. Warning to heavy-handed grandmothers: While wooden spoons are great for thumping kids, these steps are so easy that grandchildren will be too busy cleaning wooden utensils to get in trouble. One, two, here we go 

Steps

1. Analyze just what kind of dirty your utensil is. If you find a wooden spoon floating down the street during a flood, burn that spoon. There is no process of cleaning that will remove deadly toxins from this utensil. This type of wooden utensil should be considered dangerous.
2. Prepare for disinfecting your wooden utensil. When cleaning wood, remember that washing by hand is most thorough and that bleach is your friend.
3. Place some bleach into a soaking tub (sink, large bowl, dish pan) and fill the remainder with hot water. A good ratio is one part bleach to 20 parts water. Place the utensil in the water.
4. Allow your utensil to soak for at least an hour. As a rule, you do not want to soak wooden utensils often, but periodically it is important to thoroughly disinfect a utensil, and the initial disinfecting is critical.
5. Remove the bleach solution and fill the same tub with a mixture of mild detergent, such as dish soap, and hot water.
6. Wash the utensil by hand, and then allow it to sit in the soapy water for 15 minutes or so. Allow sufficient soaking time to remove any bleach smell on the utensil.
7. Feel the utensil. If it feels fuzzy, it is probably because the grain of the wood has been raised from the soaking. Simply take a fine grit sandpaper (or even steel wool) and gently smooth the utensil.
8. Rinse the utensil off again. This time, you can wash it like you would any other utensil in your kitchen. Only follow the above steps if you need to thoroughly disinfect a utensil. Otherwise, wash wood with a gentle detergent and dry it off quickly.
9. Renew and retain the vibrancy of the wood in your utensil by periodically oiling it. You can use a paper towel or a small piece of clean cloth to administer the oil to the utensil. Use mineral oil, a food safe oil that is commonly used by restaurants to increase the longevity of wooden utensils. Mineral oil is a minor laxative, but even regular use of such small quantities will cause no adverse effects. If you are worried, you can simply allow the oil to soak in and then re-wash the utensil. 

 Tips

• If a spoon is rancid, don’t try too hard to disinfect it. The cost of a new utensil is generally less than the possible adverse affects of using a contaminated kitchen tool when preparing food.
• Taking care of your wooden utensils will pay off in the long run. Wooden utensils are among the first cooking utensils, and with proper care they can last a lifetime.
• Don’t be afraid to allow your utensil to soak for a spell. Because wood is porous, it may take a while for your cleaning solution to thoroughly sanitize the utensil. Do not, however, make a habit of soaking wood utensils, as soaking can shorten their useful lives.
• Some say that lemon juice is a great way to keep your wooden utensil constantly fresh and sanitized. Use this method only after thoroughly sanitizing with bleach, though.
• Hard wood utensils are the easiest to sanitize, and they also last the longest. The tight grains in the wood make for a less porous and more rigid construction.
• Consider using a microwave to both dry out and sanitize a wooden utensil. You can also place a wooden utensil in boiling water to help in the disinfecting process.

 Warnings

• Wooden utensils are more porous than their plastic or metal counterparts. They are therefore more susceptible to carrying germs and bacteria.
• Don’t put wooden spoons in the dishwasher, especially not on a regular basis. They may crack. They are also a fire hazard if they fall on the heating element during the drying cycle.
• Do not use a wooden utensil if any part of the wood is soft or dark and mushy. These characteristics are often associated with rotten wood, and wood in this state will attract and retain germs and bacteria.

Restaurant Supplies for Profit: Alcohol Still a Winner

What more appropriate topic for a late Friday afternoon than….alcohol?  I’ve got good news for those businesses sporting a liquor license: according to an article I found throught the National Restaurant Association, alcohol sales continue to climb (albeit slowly) in these somewhat uncertain times:

“According to the Norwalk, Conn. research company, wine consumption increased 4%, while distilled spirits were up 3.2% and beer rose 1.2%.”

Now that’s reason to celebrate, isn’t it?  Even better, one of my favorite beverages is doing exceedingly well (but keep your eyes peeled for the effects of a bit of a hops shortage this year):

“Craft beers also saw double-digit growth, while wine continued to find appeal with newer drinkers.”

 

So while Americans may be tightening their belts, they’re willing to spend a little extra once in a while for a really great beer.  So keep your back bar coolers stocked, and your taps running smoothly!