I'd read that little is wasted in a commercial restaurant,
ie; vegetable scraps used to make a vegetable stock.
so
Last week, instead of tossing the cauliflower and broccoli stalks;
I diced them, and cooked in some water
with a few chicken bullion cubes.
Then, used a stick blender to make a puree.
Tossed in a few black beans from the freezer,
and a handful of "frozen california veggies"
Simmered, and added a pat of butter, ( for the cholesterol )

Not only did it look good, it tasted great !

And to think that all these years I've been
tossing these stems in the garbage can.

BTW;
I soak, pre-cook, and freeze bags of
black beans, white beans, and garbanzos.
It's really convenient when I want to
add "just a handful" to a soup or salad.

rj

On Thu, 19 Feb 2004 21:19:13 -0500, "RJ"
wrote:

Last week, instead of tossing the cauliflower and broccoli stalks;
I diced them, and cooked in some water
with a few chicken bullion cubes.
Then, used a stick blender to make a puree.
Tossed in a few black beans from the freezer,
and a handful of "frozen california veggies"
Simmered, and added a pat of butter, ( for the cholesterol )

Not only did it look good, it tasted great !

You can also puree and then return to the pot with cream to heat.

I don't deal with cauliflower, but peeled broccoli stalks, sliced
thin, make very decorative additions to stir-fry.

I soak, pre-cook, and freeze bags of
black beans, white beans, and garbanzos.
It's really convenient when I want to
add "just a handful" to a soup or salad.

Sounds like an excellent idea.

In article ,
says...
I'd read that little is wasted in a commercial restaurant,
ie; vegetable scraps used to make a vegetable stock.
so
Last week, instead of tossing the cauliflower and broccoli stalks;
I diced them, and cooked in some water
with a few chicken bullion cubes.
Then, used a stick blender to make a puree.
Tossed in a few black beans from the freezer,
and a handful of "frozen california veggies"
Simmered, and added a pat of butter, ( for the cholesterol )

Not only did it look good, it tasted great !

And to think that all these years I've been
tossing these stems in the garbage can.

I work one evening a week in the kitchen of an organization similar to
Meals on Wheels that delivers meals to seniors, AIDs patients and others
who are house bound.

Last week we had six cases of broccoli to trim - they wanted to use the
florets for a vegetable dish of some sort.

I was absolutely horrified, however, when we were told just to toss the
stalks. Seriously, there could have been broccoli soup for literally
*hundreds*. If I'd had a car, I'd have packed them all up and brought
them to the local soup kitchen, which I'm sure could have made use of
them.

I am still so annoyed by this, that it's making me rethink my commitment
to them.
--
Donna
A pessimist believes all women are bad. An optimist hopes they are.

To reply, remove the SPAM BLOCK

On Fri, 20 Feb 2004 20:29:36 GMT, Donna Rose
wrote:

says...

I'd read that little is wasted in a commercial restaurant,
ie; vegetable scraps used to make a vegetable stock.
so...
snip

I work one evening a week in the kitchen of an organization similar to
Meals on Wheels that delivers meals to seniors, AIDs patients and others
who are house bound.

Last week we had six cases of broccoli to trim - they wanted to use the
florets for a vegetable dish of some sort.

I was absolutely horrified, however, when we were told just to toss the
stalks. Seriously, there could have been broccoli soup for literally
*hundreds*.

I am still so annoyed by this, that it's making me rethink my commitment
to them.

Don't. They need you. Wasted food is a scandal, but sometimes
transportation, storing, preprartion, and serving (not to mention
litigation) makes it easier for the home cook to be thrifty and
meticulous in a way a larger operation can't. Particularly when it
depends on random gifts of ingredients. Chopping off the florets for
salad or simple steaming is pretty quick and simple. Trimming the
bottoms and chopping the stems (I peel mine first), making a broth,
etc., is a lot more trouble. Perhaps you can figure out a practical
way for this kitchen to save scraps for a day or 2 and make soup a
feature.

(I'm always thinking 'compost' when throwing away any vegetable
material is mentioned, but that also involves transportation, labor,
separating compostable discards from others, etc.)

RJ wrote:
I'd read that little is wasted in a commercial restaurant,
ie; vegetable scraps used to make a vegetable stock.
so
Last week, instead of tossing the cauliflower and broccoli stalks;
I diced them, and cooked in some water
with a few chicken bullion cubes.
Then, used a stick blender to make a puree.
Tossed in a few black beans from the freezer,
and a handful of "frozen california veggies"
Simmered, and added a pat of butter, ( for the cholesterol )

Not only did it look good, it tasted great !

And to think that all these years I've been
tossing these stems in the garbage can.
rj

Now you know how to make veggie stock. If you hadn't pureed it, you could
have strained it after cooking all that down and had a nice clear vegetable
stock. I don't see where you added salt and pepper; I would have done that
too. Congrats!

Jill

Donna Rose wrote:
In article ,
says...
I'd read that little is wasted in a commercial restaurant,
ie; vegetable scraps used to make a vegetable stock.
(snip)
Not only did it look good, it tasted great !

And to think that all these years I've been
tossing these stems in the garbage can.

I work one evening a week in the kitchen of an organization similar to
Meals on Wheels that delivers meals to seniors, AIDs patients and
others who are house bound.

Last week we had six cases of broccoli to trim - they wanted to use
the florets for a vegetable dish of some sort.

I was absolutely horrified, however, when we were told just to toss
the stalks.
(snip)
I am still so annoyed by this, that it's making me rethink my
commitment to them.

Donna, don't give up your committment to them. I have worked in a number of
restaurants over the years where I saw so much waste - hundreds of baked
potatoes being tossed out; the same sort of thing you're talking about. I
was appalled. But I was told it is the Dept. of Health which require this.
They don't want "spoiled food" being given to soup kitchens, shelters and
other subsidized agencies. There is always the threat of the food not being
handled properly and an outbreak of food poisoning. Okay... how often? ...
never mind!

Don't give up what you're doing based on that. You're doing a good thing.

Jill

"Frogleg" wrote in message
...
On Fri, 20 Feb 2004 20:29:36 GMT, Donna Rose
wrote:

says...

I'd read that little is wasted in a commercial restaurant,
ie; vegetable scraps used to make a vegetable stock.
so...
snip

I work one evening a week in the kitchen of an organization similar to
Meals on Wheels that delivers meals to seniors, AIDs patients and others
who are house bound.

Last week we had six cases of broccoli to trim - they wanted to use the
florets for a vegetable dish of some sort.

I was absolutely horrified, however, when we were told just to toss the
stalks. Seriously, there could have been broccoli soup for literally
*hundreds*.

I am still so annoyed by this, that it's making me rethink my commitment
to them.

Don't. They need you. Wasted food is a scandal, but sometimes
transportation, storing, preprartion, and serving (not to mention
litigation) makes it easier for the home cook to be thrifty and
meticulous in a way a larger operation can't. Particularly when it
depends on random gifts of ingredients. Chopping off the florets for
salad or simple steaming is pretty quick and simple. Trimming the
bottoms and chopping the stems (I peel mine first), making a broth,
etc., is a lot more trouble. Perhaps you can figure out a practical
way for this kitchen to save scraps for a day or 2 and make soup a
feature.

I agree that food waste should be minimized, but it is an error to think
that waste of food has any but the most tenuous connection to people going
hungry. There is more than enough food to feed everyone - that some people
go hungry is the result of distribution, income, transportation, and other
factors. Reminds me of an old joke:

Jewish mother (to young son): Finish your broccoli - don't you know that
children in Africa are going hungry?
Son: Give me an envelope and I'll send it to them.


--
Peter Aitken

Remove the crap from my email address before using.

I work one evening a week in the kitchen of an organization similar to
Meals on Wheels that delivers meals to seniors, AIDs patients and others
who are house bound.

Last week we had six cases of broccoli to trim - they wanted to use the
florets for a vegetable dish of some sort.

I was absolutely horrified, however, when we were told just to toss the
stalks. Seriously, there could have been broccoli soup for literally
*hundreds*. If I'd had a car, I'd have packed them all up and brought
them to the local soup kitchen, which I'm sure could have made use of
them.

I am still so annoyed by this, that it's making me rethink my commitment
to them.
--
Donna
A pessimist believes all women are bad. An optimist hopes they are.



Actually, if you just peel the stalks and serve them on a veggie platter,
many people will like it, even if they don't know what it is.

In article ,
says...
Wasted food is a scandal, but sometimes
transportation, storing, preprartion, and serving (not to mention
litigation) makes it easier for the home cook to be thrifty and
meticulous in a way a larger operation can't. Particularly when it
depends on random gifts of ingredients. Chopping off the florets for
salad or simple steaming is pretty quick and simple. Trimming the
bottoms and chopping the stems (I peel mine first), making a broth,
etc., is a lot more trouble. Perhaps you can figure out a practical
way for this kitchen to save scraps for a day or 2 and make soup a
feature.


I've thought about this more since my original post on the matter.. This
is not a soup kitchen, but a place that prepares meals for pick-up or
home delivery. In all the time I've worked there, I've never seen a soup
product made. I think because it just wouldn't travel well.

The waste just shocked me. I had always understood that nothing was ever
wasted in a professional kitchen.

By the way, very little of their food comes from donations. They
purchase almost everything, so they can be assured of ample supplies on
an uninterrupted basis. Their donations come in the form of money, not
actual food items.


--
Donna
A pessimist believes all women are bad. An optimist hopes they are.

To reply, remove the SPAM BLOCK

In article ,
says...
I work one evening a week in the kitchen of an organization similar to
Meals on Wheels that delivers meals to seniors, AIDs patients and
others who are house bound.

Last week we had six cases of broccoli to trim - they wanted to use
the florets for a vegetable dish of some sort.

I was absolutely horrified, however, when we were told just to toss
the stalks.
(snip)
I am still so annoyed by this, that it's making me rethink my
commitment to them.

Donna, don't give up your committment to them. I have worked in a number of
restaurants over the years where I saw so much waste - hundreds of baked
potatoes being tossed out; the same sort of thing you're talking about. I
was appalled. But I was told it is the Dept. of Health which require this.
They don't want "spoiled food" being given to soup kitchens, shelters and
other subsidized agencies. There is always the threat of the food not being
handled properly and an outbreak of food poisoning. Okay... how often? ...
never mind!

Don't give up what you're doing based on that. You're doing a good thing.

Thanks Jill. It feels good to work there. I think I was just over
reacting to what I saw as a tremendous waste of resources. Having
thought about it more, I think it's probably just a logistics thing. I
do intend to stay on.
--
Donna
A pessimist believes all women are bad. An optimist hopes they are.

To reply, remove the SPAM BLOCK

On Sun, 22 Feb 2004 06:01:29 GMT, Donna Rose
wrote:


says...

Wasted food is a scandal, but sometimes
transportation, storing, preprartion, and serving (not to mention
litigation) makes it easier for the home cook to be thrifty and
meticulous in a way a larger operation can't.

I've thought about this more since my original post on the matter.. This
is not a soup kitchen, but a place that prepares meals for pick-up or
home delivery. In all the time I've worked there, I've never seen a soup
product made. I think because it just wouldn't travel well.

The waste just shocked me. I had always understood that nothing was ever
wasted in a professional kitchen.

Can you ask the Person in Charge? Not why they waste the broccoli, but
why they don't make any soup? The menus that appear in my newspaper
for the Sr. Citizens' Center look pretty much like opening cans and
packages, and heating up. Quick prep and little storage of leftovers.
Not a great deal of "home cooking." And no soup. Very similar to a
school cafeteria. Monday's menu of "American Chop Suey"(?) and
Tuesday's of "fish square" are not very inspiring.

In article ,
says...
Can you ask the Person in Charge? Not why they waste the broccoli, but
why they don't make any soup? The menus that appear in my newspaper
for the Sr. Citizens' Center look pretty much like opening cans and
packages, and heating up. Quick prep and little storage of leftovers.
Not a great deal of "home cooking." And no soup. Very similar to a
school cafeteria. Monday's menu of "American Chop Suey"(?) and
Tuesday's of "fish square" are not very inspiring.


The food I've seen prepared here is good, nutritious, home-cooked type
food, not cafeteria style by any means. It is all frozen in individual
sized portions for home delivery, with seven meals delivered to each
household each week. I did ask why we weren't saving the stalks for
soup, but didn't actually receive an answer other than "no, we don't want
them, just toss them". I'll see if I can get to the bottom of this next
week.
--
Donna
A pessimist believes all women are bad. An optimist hopes they are.

To reply, remove the SPAM BLOCK

Donna Rose wrote:
In article ,
says...
Can you ask the Person in Charge? Not why they waste the broccoli,
but why they don't make any soup? The menus that appear in my
newspaper
for the Sr. Citizens' Center look pretty much like opening cans and
packages, and heating up. Quick prep and little storage of leftovers.
Not a great deal of "home cooking." And no soup. Very similar to a
school cafeteria. Monday's menu of "American Chop Suey"(?) and
Tuesday's of "fish square" are not very inspiring.


The food I've seen prepared here is good, nutritious, home-cooked type
food, not cafeteria style by any means. It is all frozen in
individual sized portions for home delivery, with seven meals
delivered to each household each week. I did ask why we weren't
saving the stalks for soup, but didn't actually receive an answer
other than "no, we don't want them, just toss them". I'll see if I
can get to the bottom of this next week.

My dad and his sister arranged for my paternal grandmother to have "meals on
wheels" delivered. They tried to bring her some healthy food as she was
literally a shut-in and starving herself to death. She said she didn't
"like" them and wouldn't eat. Then they tried to have a care-giver come
stay with her. She didn't "like" them, either.

God Bless you for what you are doing. Grandma didn't "like" anyone, and
because of that she died much sooner than she should have.

Jill

jmcquown wrote:

My dad and his sister arranged for my paternal grandmother to have "meals on
wheels" delivered. They tried to bring her some healthy food as she was
literally a shut-in and starving herself to death. She said she didn't
"like" them and wouldn't eat. Then they tried to have a care-giver come
stay with her. She didn't "like" them, either.

God Bless you for what you are doing. Grandma didn't "like" anyone, and
because of that she died much sooner than she should have.

My sister in law's mother is one of the sweetest women you could ever know. She
is almost 90 and her physical and mental health has been slipping. She didn't
like the people bringing her Meals On Wheels. My SIL would order them and then
her mother would make her cancel them. Within a week she would be in the ER with
her heart pounding away at close to 200 beats per minute because her
electrolytes were all out of balance. She was almost starving to death because
she didn't get hungry and could not remember if she had eaten.

SIL ended up putting her mother in a very nice "home" . The mother is furious
about it. She calls from the "home" once or twice a week and yells and screams
at SIL , then calls back a few hours later to apologize.

Growing old is a bitch.