News June 2011 Issue 13

HTA AWARDS GOLDCREST IN-SERVICE PROFESSIONAL CHEF OF THE YEAR

Eight newly-qualified chefs, all of whom recently completed HTA’s In-Service Story By: Apprenticeship Programme, put their recently-acquired skills to the test in one of the most exciting culinary challenges of all – the Goldcrest Black and Gold Chef Amelia Box Cook-Off HTA In-Service Chef of the Year.

The In-Service Chef of the Year, presented by HTA in association with Goldcrest, recognises and awards the skills and talents of the newly qualified In-Service Block Release students. The eight finalists who competed for the title this year were: Marco Gaspar (The Saxon Boutique Hotel), Jonathan Roos (The Sheraton Pretoria), Gert Kirchner (Black Mountain Leisure and Conference), Tyrone Chilwane (Protea OR Tambo), Julie Crafford (Protea Wanderers), Reneilwe Motsepe (Protea Waterfront), Bonny Vermeulen (Black Mountain Leisure and Conference) and Thato Letlape (House of Bonne Cuisine). These finalists were each given a Black and Gold Box of compulsory ingredients, from which they were required to design and prepare a Starter, Main Course and Dessert for four people within three hours.

The judging panel consisted of a number of top local chefs and South African Chefs Association accredited judges, including Jodi-Ann Pearton (The Food Design Agency), Jan Botha (Group Executive Chef Leriba Lodge) , Jerome Norton (Team SA member) and Sydney Nyandeni, winner of the Goldcrest HTA In-Service Chef of the Year 2010.

The 2011 winner of the Goldcrest HTA In-Service Chef of the Year is Marco Gaspar. Marco and all the finalists received prizes from our fantastic sponsors.

Marco Gaspar of the Saxon Boutique Hotel, winner of the HTA In-Service Chef of the Year title, celebrates along with the other finalists .

1 HTA and HTA School of Culinary Art 128 Bram Fischer Drive, Ferndale, Randburg Tel: 011 285 0937  Fax: 011 285 0939  E"mail: [email protected]  Web: www.htatrain.co.za Graduation Intake 2009

On the 9 th of April 2011, HTA paid tribute to a very unique group of young people. They arrived at HTA School of Culinary Art’s premises as students and walked out a few hours later as Chefs.

Well done to all the graduates for making it through two long years of training. We trust that you will use the knowledge that was imprinted on you wisely and accurately, but only as a foundation to many new and even more exciting things in future.

We wish you all the best of in your new careers in our much loved industry.

The graduates were as follows:

City & Guilds Special Awards were given to the following graduates:

Glen Christie Merit Ratshi Ramabulana Pass

The following students achieved Certificate Level:

Albin Nel Merit Rossana de Sousa Merit Shane Shambrook Merit Zeenat Khan Merit

The following students achieved Diploma Level:

Andrea Mansfield Distinction Giselle Correia: Andrea Mansfield Academic Award Practical Training Bianca de Matos Pass Student of the Year 100% Attendance Cecilia Selepe Pass Eon van der Merwe Merit Giselle Correia Distinction Grant Baxter Merit Kea Mokwena Distinction Kelly McErlaine Merit Kgomotso Rasepae Merit Madelein Koen Merit Masego Pile Pass Melissa Callanan Merit Nicola da Mata Merit Nicole Duncan Merit Pedro da Mata Merit

Penny Pienaar Merit Rossana de Sousa Rachelle Lang Merit Perseverance Award Rae-Ann Malgas Merit Riyadh Loonat Merit Robert du Plessis Distinction Warren Naested Distinction Zainab Ebrahim Merit

Story By:

Chef Carien

2 HTA and HTA School of Culinary Art 128 Bram Fischer Drive, Ferndale, Randburg Tel: 011 285 0937  Fax: 011 285 0939  E"mail: [email protected]  Web: www.htatrain.co.za Swiss Hotel School

On Saturday the 22 nd of May 2011, the Swiss Hotel School held their annual Potjiekos Competition which coincided with their open day. From early on the atmosphere was festive, with each team’s space allocated and ready for decoration. There were DJs to promote the vibe and food stalls providing coffee, muffins and other snacks. During the long hours while the potjies simmered away, there were games with some fun prizes to keep all the contestants entertained.

HTA had a strong representation, with no less than 6 teams which entered into the competition to defend the trophy taken by HTA in the previous year’s competition. There were the Peace Potjies , Molo Fish , Flavours of India , Boere Meisies , “We don’t speak Hungarian” and the Rolling Ducks teams. This year our competition included teams representing the Swiss Hotel School, as well as Capital Hotel School (who came all the way from Pretoria to join in the fun). From early on teams were squirreling to get the decorations done in their respective areas.

Once it came to the cooking, the flavours produced by these teams stunned and amazed even the harshest critics and judges. The themes and flavours were as diverse as the origins of the ideas that fuelled the teams. The potjies ranged from an Asian-inspired duck potjie by, as you may have guessed, the Rolling Ducks; an Indian Curry served as Bunny Chow by Flavours of India; Smoky Paprika-flavoured Goulash from the “We Don’t speak Hungarian” team; a truly South-African Karoo Lamb and Vegetable-potjie from the Boere Meisies to a Calamari Potjie produced by the “stranded Pirates” of the Molo Fish team.

In the end it was the country of India that stole the limelight, taking accolades in all the categories. In the Open Category, the team Colours of India walked away with the prize. In the Tertiary Education Category, it was HTA’s own Second Year Internship class (who took time out from the industry to compete) who snatched the trophy in both the “Best Decorated” as well as the “Best Potjie” categories.

For Kristalene Naicker, Leigh Simmadari, Mallory Graham, Ricky Rabinson and Yogesh Dyal Ukabhai, it will always be a memorable day. To the Flavours of India team: WELL DONE!! We are very proud to have the trophy for a second year and what a way to usher in your final year here with us at HTA!

Members of the team ‘Colours of India’ pose

The Team’s Story By: winning table decorations. Chef Le-éba

3 HTA and HTA School of Culinary Art 128 Bram Fischer Drive, Ferndale, Randburg Tel: 011 285 0937  Fax: 011 285 0939  E"mail: [email protected]  Web: www.htatrain.co.za Competitions... WHY?

The word 'Competition' is defined in the Oxford Dictionary as follows: [mass noun]: The activity or condition of striving to gain or win something by defeating or establishing superiority over others. [count noun]: An event or contest in which people take part in order to establish superiority or supremacy in a particular area. [in singular]: The person or people over whom one is attempting to establish one’s supremacy or superiority. Upon further investigation the Oxford Thesaurus compares the word 'Competition' with words like: Conflict, Contention, Emulation, Rivalry, Struggle, along with words like: Challenge, Championship, Contest, Race, Rally and Trial The Oxford dictionary then defines the word 'Competitive' as: Having or displaying a strong desire to be more successful than others. As good as or better than others of a comparable nature. In the Thesaurus the term 'Competitive' is associated with words like: Combatitive, Contentious, Cut-throat, Hard-fought, Well-fought, Sporting, Keen and Lively. *** Here at HTA the word 'Competition' can bring fear to the bravest of students, especially if it is coupled with the word 'Compulsory.' But the word also stands for other things in our hallways: words like Passion, Self-confidence, Dedication, Drive and Pride come to mind. Competing is in our blood! We have seen many students and graduates exceed their own expectations when standing on the Winners’ Podium.

Names like Gerome Norton, Abubaker Bagaria and Kgomotso Rasepae come to mind. Recent graduates Andrea Mansfield and Kelly McErlaine won the Netslé Golden Chef's Hat Competition in March and will be cashing in on their prize of an all-expenses- paid trip to a mystery culinary location very soon. Both Gerome and Abu went on to join well-known kitchens and are also part of the Junior Culinary Team of South Africa.

Competing is not just about the Prizes though. Yes, it is a great incentive, but should not be why you enter. It is about growing as an individual, opening a mystery box and seeing possibilities, not challenges. It's about broadening your mind and horizons and being the best Chef that you can be. It's about measuring yourself, your skills and your creativity against a group of people who see themselves as your equals.

It is taking that recipe that you can't get out of your head and putting it down on paper. It's about taking that written possibility and playing around with it until you have something practically stunning. It is about creating something that you know no-one else will be able to re-produce. It is about being unique and free to do whatever you want!

Yes, I know I sound a bit loony, but those of you who have worked with me should know that I have an intensely passionate relationship with food. You should too! Competitions are about sharing your passion, but most importantly they are about inspiring passion. There is nothing as exciting as sitting on the side-line watching groups or individuals quietly working in unison with purpose and zeal. Every time I sit there I think... Next year that should be me! The time has come for you to start thinking like that.

So next time one of your lecturers walks into class with a competition entry in their hands, don't look down and sigh, "Oh no, not again..." Look up and see the possibility of success. Success comes in different forms though, not necessarily paired with winning, but with a sense of achievement that you can only get from standing in front of your peers and knowing that you did your absolute best.

Conclusion: Enter? Please! Compete? Absolutely! Win or lose, exceed your own expectations! Everyone deserves the chance to stand on the podium, and who knows, maybe next time it will be you!

Competitions to look forward to in the near future: Rising Stars Money for Mushrooms Competition Closing Date: 21 June 2011 Unilever Chef of the Year Competition Story By: Closing Date: 24 July 2011 Chef Carien

4 HTA and HTA School of Culinary Art 128 Bram Fischer Drive, Ferndale, Randburg Tel: 011 285 0937  Fax: 011 285 0939  E"mail: [email protected]  Web: www.htatrain.co.za Welcome In-Service Story By: 1st Year Group A Chef Amelia We would like to welcome the new Apprentices on the 1 st Year Group A block release of 2011. Your first day was filled with nervous smiles and hellos and the shock of your life when you real- ised just what you have let yourself in for! From being handed a file heavy enough to crush chestnuts, tasting ingredients blindfolded, being photographed and videoed (we stopped short of fingerprinting you!), writing a test and being handed TWO assignments - this was only the beginning.... What to say, what to think? Stop! Breathe. Think. Act. Yes, the first week was a shock to the system, but you have all recovered and are enjoying the new challenge you have been given. The next three years of your lives, and more importantly, the career you have chosen, will demand nothing but dedication and self-sacrifice. This is a fact, accept it and move on. Chef Leanne and I want to wish each and every one of you success and that you will come to love this world you have chosen even more as you learn about it.

Welcome In-Service 2 nd Year Group B The Group B 2 nd year In-Service students started their six week block release on the 14 th of March. Much to their surprise, a few things had changed since they attended first year block. This group of students took everything in their stride, from the new faces to the Chef’s Table (fantastic event) and challenging curriculum. We would like to wish all of you a year of new experiences, flavours and triumphs.

2nd Year In-Service Group B Fire Station Visit The students from In-Service 2 nd Year Group B attended a training day at the Randburg Fire Station on the 4 th of April. This informative course presented by Officer Chris Viviers was greatly enjoyed, especially the tour of a fire engine and the instruction received in dousing of fires. Thank you to the Randburg Fire Station and its dedicated staff!

5 HTA and HTA School of Culinary Art 128 Bram Fischer Drive, Ferndale, Randburg Tel: 011 285 0937  Fax: 011 285 0939  E"mail: [email protected]  Web: www.htatrain.co.za

A Short History of the Foods Eaten at Easter

In modern society Easter is all about a long weekend, a fuzzy long-eared bunny with exaggerated front teeth and a hunt for hidden chocolate eggs. However, for Christians, Easter is a real, meaning- ful and true historic event. Easter finds its roots in the Jewish feast of the Passover; this was to cele- brate the ancient nation of Israel’s emancipation from slavery in Egypt. It was during this Passover feast when Jesus Christ was Crucified, died and rose again on the third day. As a lamb was slaugh- tered during the pass-over; Christ was slaughtered as a substitute for all who believe in Him. This redeeming work of God is celebrated by Christians during Easter time. There is no food associated with these celebrations except for the communion table, whereby the believer remembers Christ’s body and His blood, so where did all of the traditional Easter foods come from?

In many historically Christian countries, buns are traditionally eaten hot or toasted on Good Friday, with the cross standing as a symbol of The Crucifixion (although there is no Biblical reference to hot-cross buns). They are believed by some to predate Christianity, although the first recorded use of the term "hot cross bun" was not until 1733; it is believed that buns marked with a cross were eaten by Saxons in honour of the goddess Eostre (the cross is thought to have symbolised the four quarters of the moon); "Eostre" is probably the origin of the name "Easter". Others claim that the Greeks marked cakes with a cross much earlier. According to cookery writer Elizabeth David, Protestant English monarchs saw the buns as a dangerous hold-over of Catholic belief in England, being baked from the dough used in making the communion wafer. Protestant England attempted to ban the sale of the buns by bakers but they were too popular, and instead Elizabeth I passed a law permitting bakeries to sell them, but only at Easter and Christmas.

English folklore includes many surrounding hot cross buns. One of them says that buns baked and served on Good Friday will not spoil or become mouldy during the subsequent year. Another encourages keeping such a bun for medicinal purposes. A piece of it given to someone who is ill is said to help them recover. Sharing a hot cross bun with another is supposed to ensure friendship throughout the coming year, particularly if " Half for you and half for me, Between us two shall goodwill be " is said at the time. Because of the cross on the buns, some say they should be kissed before being eaten. If taken on a sea voyage, hot cross buns are said to protect against shipwreck. If hung in the kitchen, they are said to protect against fires and en- sure that all breads turn out perfectly. The hanging bun is replaced each year.

In the UK, the major supermarkets produce variations on the traditional recipe such as toffee, orange and cranberry and apple and cinnamon. In Australia a chocolate version of the bun has become popular. They generally contain the same mixture of spices but chocolate chips are used instead of currants. In the Czech Republic, mazanec is a similar cake or sweet bread eaten at Easter time. It often has a cross marked on top.

The Easter bunny and Easter eggs however have the following pagan origins according to Wikipedia: Bringing Easter eggs seems to have its origins in Alsace and the Upper Rhineland, both then in the Holy Roman Empire, and south-western Germany, where the practice was first recorded in a German publication in the 1500s. The first edible Easter Eggs were made in Germany during the early 19th century and were made of pastry and sugar.

The Easter Bunny was introduced to the United States by the German settlers who arrived in the Pennsylvania Dutch country during the 18th century. The arrival of the Osterhase was considered one of "childhood's greatest pleasures", similar to the arrival of Kris Kringle on Christmas Eve. According to the tradition, children would build brightly coloured nests, often out of caps and bonnets, in secluded areas of their homes. The "Osterhase" would, if the children had been good, lay brightly coloured eggs in the nest. As the tradition spread, the nest has become the manufactured, modern Easter basket, and the placing of the nest in a secluded area has become the tradition of hiding baskets. Eggs, like rabbits and hares, are fertility symbols of antiquity. Since birds lay eggs and rabbits and hares give birth to large litters in the early spring, these became symbols of the rising fertility of the earth at the Vernal Equinox. Rabbits and hares are both prolific breeders. It is therefore not surprising that rabbits and hares should become fertility symbols.

The precise origin of the ancient custom of colouring eggs is not known, although evidently the blooming of many flowers in spring coincides with the use of the fertility symbol of eggs—and eggs boiled with some flowers change their colour, bringing the spring into the homes. Many members of the Eastern Orthodox Church to this day typically dye their Easter eggs red, the colour of blood, in recognition of the blood of the sacrificed Christ (and of the renewal of life in springtime). Some also use the colour green, in honour of the new foliage emerging after the long dead time of winter. German Protestants wanted to retain the Catholic custom of eating coloured eggs for Easter, but did not want to introduce their children to the Catholic rite of fasting. Eggs were forbidden to Catholics during the fast of Lent, which was the reason for the abundance of eggs at Easter time.

The idea of an egg-laying bunny came to the U.S. in the 18th century. German immigrants in the Pennsylvania Dutch area told their children about the "Osterhase", sometimes spelled "Oschter Haws". "Hase" means "hare", not rabbit, and in Northwest European folklore the "Easter Bunny" indeed is a hare, not a rabbit. According to the legend, only good children received gifts of coloured eggs in the nests that they made in their caps and bonnets before Easter. In 1835, Jakob Grimm wrote of long-standing similar myths in Germany itself. Grimm suggested that these derived from legends of a goddess called Ostara, but as a romanticist, he tried to connect contemporary customs to pre-Christian traditions, knowing that no written sources of that time existed. Additionally, a goddess of that name is only mentioned in a single ancient source giving an ambiguous statement about an Ostara month.

The meaning of what is celebrated around Easter is lost in the commercialized candy sales that big conglomerates push on consumers every year; however the foods that we have come to associate with Easter have become deeply rooted and Story By: intertwined with history truth. Chef Le-éba

6 HTA and HTA School of Culinary Art 128 Bram Fischer Drive, Ferndale, Randburg Tel: 011 285 0937  Fax: 011 285 0939  E"mail: [email protected]  Web: www.htatrain.co.za The Origin of Friday the 13 th

What is it about Friday the 13 th that keeps some people in bed all day, fearing the worst? Every year, this day costs countries millions in absenteeism and lost productivity; many buildings have no 13 th floor and many planes have no 13 th row, yet no one has managed to prove whether this day really is more unlucky than any other day, or whether it is just a .

Both Friday and 13 were considered by Westerners to be separately unlucky before the 19 th century, while there is little evidence to suggest that other cultures held the same beliefs. It seems that the origin of both superstitions could be linked to Easter – Jesus was crucified on a Friday, and his last meal before the Crucifixion consisted of 13 people at the table. Another theory suggests that twelve was seen as a symbol of completeness, e.g. 12 hours on a clock, 12 Apostles of Jesus, 12 Tribes of Israel. 13 thus represented imbalance.

In the 1880s, fear of 13 at a table was the prevailing superstition (“if 13 people dine together, one of them will die within a year”). The Thirteen Club was founded with the intention of debunking this fear. They met on the 13 th of each month, with 13 people at each table. They included other super- stitions as well: each member had to walk under a ladder and spill salt and the tables were decorated with coffin-shaped menus. Later, the Thirteen Club also attacked unlucky Friday, which at the time was the day on which hangings occurred. They campaigned to have executions moved to other days of the week, making people view Friday in a more positive light. The Club’s Chief Ruler summed it up: “those who were formerly hanged only on Friday may now have the pleasure of being Did You Know? hanged on every day of the week.” ϕ Fear of 13 is known as . ϕ Fear of Friday the 13 th is known as Sometime between 1906 and 1908, unlucky Friday and 13 merged to ϕ PARASKEVIDEKATRIAPHOBIA. become one superstition. This can be pinpointed to a 1907 novel about ϕ Mark Twain was once the 13th guest at a dinner the stock market called Friday, the Thirteenth, published by a Boston party. A friend warned him not to go. "It was bad luck," businessman. Unlucky Friday the 13 th formed a main part of the plot. Twain later told the friend. "They only had food for 12." This novel, as well as a 1916 movie based on the novel, helped to fix ϕ 13 was once considered a lucky number in America, fear of Friday the 13 th in the public’s mind and the separate fears of 13 as it related to the 13 British colonies first established at a table and unlucky Friday were gradually forgotten. on the continent. Today, The seals on the back of a dollar bill include 13 steps on the pyramid, 13 stars above the eagle's head, 13 war arrows in the eagle's Story By: claw and 13 leaves on the olive branch. Chef Kevin

DID YOU KNOW: Vanilla

What is the difference between vanilla essence and vanilla extract?

There are four main cultivars of the vanilla bean: Bourbon vanilla from the Indian Ocean islands like Madagascar; Mexican vanilla, believed to be the land of its origin; Tahitian vanilla from French Polynesia and West Indian vanilla from the Caribbean and Central and South America. There is in fact not a French vanilla cultivar, but this would refer to preparations with a strong vanilla aroma which may contain vanilla grains.

Real vanilla beans contain a multitude of components, of which only approximately 171 have been identified. The compound vanillin is primarily responsible for the characteristic flavour and smell.

Vanilla essence usually refers to a product made of synthetic vanillin in ethanol , which is derived from phenol and is of high purity. Vanillin can be produced synthetically from lignin and is most often a by-product of the pulp and paper industry. Vanilla extract, however, is derived from the true vanilla bean and therefore contains a complicated mixture of the different compounds found naturally in the vanilla bean. The saying; “You get what you pay for” would definitely apply here, as vanilla extract costs much more than the synthetic vanilla essence we find everywhere.

To make your own simple extract you will need 700ml of vodka and eight vanilla beans. Simply cut six of the beans into small pieces and place in the bottle of vodka. Leave this mixture to mature in a cool, dark place for approximately 6 weeks, turning the bottle once every two days. Once the mixture has matured, strain the cut vanilla pieces and replace with the seeds scraped from the extra two beans. You are now ready to use the true flavour and aroma of vanilla, and it is lovely on crushed ice as well! Story By: Chef Amelia

7 HTA and HTA School of Culinary Art 128 Bram Fischer Drive, Ferndale, Randburg Tel: 011 285 0937  Fax: 011 285 0939  E"mail: [email protected]  Web: www.htatrain.co.za Emu eggs range from medium to very dark green in colour and weigh about 3/4 pound. The eggs are mostly yolk, and are very mild in flavour.

Chocolate Crossword ACROSS DOWN

3. The scientific term 1. The Aztec god who, used when flowers according to myth, gave develop on the trunk cacao to the Aztec and large branches of people a tree 2. The utensil developed 6. Small insects that by the Spanish to stir pollinate Thembroma chocolate and give it the cacao desired froth quality 8. The ingredient in 3. The chocolate alterna- the Aztec chocolate tive from the Mediterra- that make it spicy nean legume tree 9. The genus name of 4. The world’s largest the chocolate tree, producer of cocoa meaning “food of the 7. The fat contained gods” within cacao beans and 10. The powder used often used in cosmetics to make a popular 11. The rainforest in beverage South America where 12. The stone tools Theobroma cacao is used in Mexico to native grind cacao beans for chocolate 13. The creator of the Why Engineers Don't Write Recipe Books first chocolate candy bar in 1847 Chocolate Chip Cookies: To a 2-L jacketed round reactor vessel (reactor #1) with an overall heat transfer coeffi- Ingredients: cient of about 100 Btu/F-ft2-hr, add ingredients one, two and three with constant agi- 1. 532.35 cm3 gluten tation. In a second 2-L reactor vessel with a radial flow impeller operating at 100 rpm, 2. 4.9 cm3 NaHCO3 3. 4.9 cm3 refined halite add ingredients four, five, six, and seven until the mixture is homogenous. To 4. 236.6 cm3 partially hydrogenated tallow triglyceride reactor #2, add ingredient eight, followed by three equal volumes of the homogenous 5. 177.45 cm3 crystalline C12H22O11 mixture in reactor #1. Additionally, add ingredient nine and ten slowly, with constant 6. 177.45 cm3 unrefined C12H22O11 agitation. Care must be taken at this point in the reaction to control any temperature 7. 4.9 cm3 methyl ether of protocatechuic aldehyde rise that may be the result of an exothermic reaction. Using a screw extrude attached to 8. Two calcium carbonate-encapsulated avian albumen-coated protein a #4 nodulizer, place the mixture piece-meal on a 316SS sheet (300 x 600 mm). Heat in 9. 473.2 cm3 theobroma cacao a 460K oven for a period of time that is in agreement with Frank & Johnston's first 10. 236.6 cm3 de-encapsulated legume meats (sieve size #10) order rate expression (see JACOS, 21, 55), or until golden brown. Once the reaction is complete, place the sheet on a 25C heat-transfer table, allowing the product to come to equilibrium.

“If you boil an egg while singing all

five verses and chorus of the hymn,

13.Fry & Sons & 13.Fry

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'Onward Christian Soldiers.' it will be

7.cocoa butter 7.cocoa 10.cocoa

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3.carob 8. chillies 8.

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perfectly when you come to Amen.”

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- Letter to the Editor, London's 'Daily DOWN ACROSS

Telegraph' ANSWERS CROSSWORD

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8 HTA and HTA School of Culinary Art 128 Bram Fischer Drive, Ferndale, Randburg Tel: 011 285 0937  Fax: 011 285 0939  E"mail: [email protected]  Web: www.htatrain.co.za