It is Twenty Twelve folks!
Can you believe how the time has just flown by? And it is time for Australia Day, Easter, and whatever crazy party comes in between! And we all know what that means. Parties, food, and alcohol galore for most people!
In all the hustle and bustle of getting ready, sometimes we overlook things, and safety can be one of them. So that is what I’m blogging about today, some food and alcohol safety tips that will help you end the night with a bang instead of a fizzle!
:: Know your limit! If you know that you will be gone in three drinks time (like yours truly), then don’t go past it! It’s a time to enjoy yourself, not to forget the whole night out! Drink water, soft drink, iced tea, mocktails if you feel left out. But staying within your inhibitions is the first step to keeping yourself safe.
:: Take small sips, not giant gulps! Think about this, if you gulp down a drink, can you remember what is tasted like? Take small sips, and choose quality over quantity. Savour the taste. I know I love the sweetness of a Mango Daquari!
:: Have a Designated Driver, a back up plan and respect those who do not wish to drink! Everyone should be able to have fun, because everyone has different ideas of fun!
And you should take as much care of your food as you do with yourself, especially when the weather starts to get warmer.
Now, being a chef, our kitchen has strict standards to temperatures of high risk foods, but with massive parties with massive spreads, this strict HACCAP style standards can’t be achieved at home or out and about. So it is important to know about high risk foods.
:: So if you’re bringing along any food containing meat, dairy, eggs, and especially seafood and chicken, then keep it cold! This means breaking out the eskies, the ice bricks and ice bags. Anything that is between 5 degrees and 60degrees Celsius has entered the ‘danger zone’, and should be consumed within at least 2 hours of being out of the fridge.
:: Also, keep raw food away from cooked food, they should be stored and carried separately, and if not, always store your raw food on the bottom of the esky. So it can’t leak by accident onto your cooked food!
:: And be mindful of allergies and food intolerances. If you are having a grand party, then be sure to send a shout out asking about these kind of things. There is no fun is having to call an ambulance because someone had a reaction to say, seafood! (Again, myself). Creating these dishes can be half the fun!
Just take a step back for a minute or two, and think with a little conmen sense, and you should have a headache day after! Or at least without a stomach ache!
Happy Partying Everyone! And keep yourself, and your food and drink safe!
