Frozen vs. fresh, local vs. foreign, processed vs. natural, green vs. polluting, healthy vs. fattening. These are all discussions at the forefront of conversations in our society as we try to right the effects of generations of overindulgence and excess from the 60's to today. Childhood obesity, increased heart attack rates, All You Can Eat buffets and specials, our "throw-away" society, two for one deals offering double the food at half the price, reduced excercise levels and many more symptoms accentuate our insatiable desire for more...of everything...all the time! Much could be written about any one of the above topics but they are not my expertise. Truly Fresh Prepared Food is...read on...
In the generations before mine, fresh food, prepared from scratch was the norm in many families and restaurants. Prior to the globalization of our markets, people grew their own produce, got eggs from the local farmer and filled their freezers with beef, poultry or pork raised in the open and butchered locally. It was never a question of "is this really fresh?" as the supply chain could be followed pretty much from planting the seeds to the prepared meals on the family dinner table. Increasing populations, global markets and free trade as well as our lack of time in increasingly busy lives facilitated mass production of many foods, bringing with it a need to produce more, faster and it has to be perfect. How many times have you stood in the produce section of your local supermarket watching a customer touch and turn every apple in the display to make sure each fruit purchased is 100% blemish free? There was a time where small imperfections indicated naturally grown and harvested products!
Today's food supply chain is largely out of our control as products are shipped back and forth across borders, with large industrial farms producing most of the food we consume. Food is processed in many different stages, from raw products to pre-cooked, frozen and ready to eat TV dinners. Genetic modification, food additives, flavour enhancers (such as MSG) and preservatives are the norm rather the exception in most foods we buy. Just recently the Canadian government designated Bisphenol A (BPA) as a toxic substance, yet it still lines the majority of cans and other food containers on our grocery store shelves. In light of this, much more responsibility lies with the end producer to ensure the freshness and integrity of the meals we eat.
Fresh food, prepared from scratch, using local (Ontario) products, when available, is our guarantee and we pride ourselves in upholding that standard! So just how are we different from other restaurants who claim their food is prepared to the same standard? The pretty plates depicted on the menus of chain restaurants lead the consumer to believe their food is freshly prepared using only the best ingredients. Unfortunately these menus are produced by marketing experts, most have never stepped foot in a real restaurant kitchen, whose focus is solely on selling the pictured items to as many people as possible. I worked for a chain for many years and assure you that while they recognize that food is an important part of what they do, cost control and labour efficiency are much more important to each location than the integrity of their food. The difference lies in the procurement of the original product, the preparation methods used and the cooks preparing your meals.
Is food truly DELIVERED fresh if:
Beaches out...thanks for reading! I look forward to your comments. Until next time!
In the generations before mine, fresh food, prepared from scratch was the norm in many families and restaurants. Prior to the globalization of our markets, people grew their own produce, got eggs from the local farmer and filled their freezers with beef, poultry or pork raised in the open and butchered locally. It was never a question of "is this really fresh?" as the supply chain could be followed pretty much from planting the seeds to the prepared meals on the family dinner table. Increasing populations, global markets and free trade as well as our lack of time in increasingly busy lives facilitated mass production of many foods, bringing with it a need to produce more, faster and it has to be perfect. How many times have you stood in the produce section of your local supermarket watching a customer touch and turn every apple in the display to make sure each fruit purchased is 100% blemish free? There was a time where small imperfections indicated naturally grown and harvested products!
Today's food supply chain is largely out of our control as products are shipped back and forth across borders, with large industrial farms producing most of the food we consume. Food is processed in many different stages, from raw products to pre-cooked, frozen and ready to eat TV dinners. Genetic modification, food additives, flavour enhancers (such as MSG) and preservatives are the norm rather the exception in most foods we buy. Just recently the Canadian government designated Bisphenol A (BPA) as a toxic substance, yet it still lines the majority of cans and other food containers on our grocery store shelves. In light of this, much more responsibility lies with the end producer to ensure the freshness and integrity of the meals we eat.
Fresh food, prepared from scratch, using local (Ontario) products, when available, is our guarantee and we pride ourselves in upholding that standard! So just how are we different from other restaurants who claim their food is prepared to the same standard? The pretty plates depicted on the menus of chain restaurants lead the consumer to believe their food is freshly prepared using only the best ingredients. Unfortunately these menus are produced by marketing experts, most have never stepped foot in a real restaurant kitchen, whose focus is solely on selling the pictured items to as many people as possible. I worked for a chain for many years and assure you that while they recognize that food is an important part of what they do, cost control and labour efficiency are much more important to each location than the integrity of their food. The difference lies in the procurement of the original product, the preparation methods used and the cooks preparing your meals.
Is food truly DELIVERED fresh if:
- Dressings come in a jug, prepared offsite in a factory
(WE MAKE ALL OUR DRESSINGS IN HOUSE) - Soups are pre-cooked or dehydrated offsite, just add water and heat
(REAL INGREDIENTS ARE BLENDED DAILY AT BEACHES TO CREATE OUR FEATURE SOUP) - Gravy or Jus is powdered in packages, just add water and heat
(MAKING OUR REAL JUS IS A TWO TO THREE DAY PROCESS) - Frozen, pre-portioned, marinated or seasoned meats are thawed (many times in water) before cooking
(OUR PROTEINS COME IN FRESH, BY THE PIECE, NEVER FROZEN AND ARE PROCESSED ON SITE) - Mashed potatos and fries come frozen and seasoned in the bag
(WE CUT OUR OWN FRIES FROM WHOLE POTATOS DAILY AND OUR MASHED ARE MADE FROM REAL POTATOS, ADDING FRESH CREAM, BUTTER AND ROASTED GARLIC) - Sandwich meats are processed (contain nitrates), pre-sliced and frozen
(WE OVEN ROAST WHOLE TURKEYS AND ROAST BEEF, DELICATELY SEASONED THEN HAND SLICED)
- Is food truly PREPARED fresh if:
- Pastas are prepared the day before, combined in a plastic bag with all ingredients then re-heated in a microwave
(EVERY ONE OF OUR PASTA DISHES ARE PREPARED TO ORDER USING BASIC FRESH INGREDIENTS) - Preparing sauces entails using a can opener and pot to reheat (see above comment about BPA)
(OUR SAUCES SIMMER DELICATELY FOR HOURS USING ONLY FRESH INGREDIENTS, HERBS AND SPICES) - When you ask about the ingredients in a dish, you are brought a description where you only recognize a few items as natural amongst a variety of chemical compositions
(OUR STAFF IS ABLE TO TELL YOU EXACTLY WHAT FRESH INGREDIENTS, DOWN TO THE SPICE, ARE IN EACH OF OUR DISHES) - The cooks have never worked in a kitchen, prepared anything from scratch and do not know the basics of cooking
(OUR KITCHEN IS STAFFED WITH SEASONED PROFESSIONALS WITH YEARS OF EXPERIENCE, WELL VERSED IN ALL AREAS OF FOOD PREPARATION AND FOOD SAFETY. INDIVIDUAL FLAIR IS ENCOURAGED!)
Beaches out...thanks for reading! I look forward to your comments. Until next time!
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