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Continued
from page 8.
5. Dairy or Lactose intolerance
6. Yeast intolerance
7. Sodium-free (no salt)
8. Egg allergy
An increasing number of people
cannot tolerate foods that include chicken, pork, mushrooms,
tomatoes, nuts and nut oils, garlic, onions – the list is
growing and the problem is exacerbated for the chef when there
are multiple allergies involved.
Customers may also have special
dietary requirements for religious reasons:
Orthodox Jews may prefer not
to eat dishes which contain non-kosher ingredients e.g. pork
products and shellfish, or which combine meat and dairy products
in the same dish, or which include a dairy food in a dish which
is to be served as part of a meat meal. It may be a question
of finding suitable alternative ingredients to modify the dish
so that it will not break the dietary requirements and still
taste delicious.
Muslim customers may have other
special requirements, e.g. No pork dishes and no alcohol.
Practical Suggestions
Start a recipe folder. Build
up a collection of soups, starters, fish, meat and poultry, vegetable,
bean and lentil dishes, a selection of desserts, bread, biscuit
and cake recipes. Here at the Ballymaloe Cookery School we have
been coding our recipes for over 10 years now with a simple system
–
V – Vegetarian VV –
Vegan C – Coeliac D – Diabetic D/F – Dairy-free
Create an information pack for
reception and waiting staff as well as the chefs so they will
be well informed and confident as they deal with specific requests.
Encourage your staff to respond positively. They should at least
be familiar with the needs of diabetics and coeliacs, as well
as vegetarians and vegans. There must be no guessing or bluffing
– it could be question of life or death.
Creative chefs who add unexpected
ingredients to recipes need to inform their colleagues so they
can make an informed decision on whether a dish is unsuitable
for a specific diet if they themselves are absent from the kitchen.
Chefs also need to be aware of
the importance of using clean pans and utensils when cooking
dishes for customers with acute allergies. As ever, use the freshest
and best ingredients.
There is absolutely no reason
why coeliac or diabetic food should not taste as delicious as
everything else on the menu. Use fresh naturally produced local
food in season wherever possible.
Staff need to understand the
seriousness of acute food allergies and to understand that even
a minute amount of the ingredient, e.g. peanuts, can send an
allergic person in anaphylactic shock within minutes. Staff also
need to know how to deal with an emergency if it occurs.
Coeliacs have a permanent intolerance to gluten, it is
a genetic disease. The gluten damages an area in the small intestine,
causing inflammation and subsequent malabsorption of food and
nutrients. The only treatment is to follow a completely glutenfree
diet. This is a condition which is increasing rapidly in Ireland
– at present about 7 per 1,000 of the population are diagnosed
as coeliacs.
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Practical advice
Most coeliacs are very knowledgeable,
but it would be good to include a list of food and drinks that
may include gluten in the recipe and staff information folders
to heighten awareness.
Set up a separate cupboard with
tight-fitting doors to store gluten-free ingredients in the pastry
section of the kitchen. Stock the cupboard with basic ingredients
needed.
Rice flour, tapioca flour/cassava
flour, Potato flour, Cornflour, Ground cornmeal (polenta), Soya
flour, Gram flour/chickpea flour, Chestnut flour, Buckwheat flour,
Lotus Root flour, Carob flour, Millet flour, Quinoa flour, Sorghum,
Arrowroot, Linseed, Sago, Teff and Xanthan Gum.
Buy in small quantities at first,
until the word gets out that you are actively providing coeliac
options on your menu.
Either provide a separate menu
for coeliacs or code dishes on regular menu. Coeliac food should
be just as delicious as every other dish and can be incorporated
into the main menu. For example, mushroom soup thickened with
rice flour roux could be on both menus.
Top Tips
The secret to being able to respond
to a sudden request is to have a well-stocked store cupboard.
Fresh herbs always add lots of flavour but are particularly important
in a low or no sodium diet. Olive or sunflower oil can be substituted
for dairy in many recipes – even pastry, but you may need
to also have a supply of soya milk.
Experiment with Tofu, particularly
the firm kind, as it absorbs other flavours brilliantly and is
a terrific source of protein, not only for vegetarians and vegans
but also those who need to eliminate dairy products from their
diets.
Rice paper wrappers are great
for fresh or cooked spring rolls and can be substituted for tortillas
to make gluten-free wraps.
Have a bottle of Japanese Tamari
Soy sauce in your cupboard (gluten-free) and Xanthan Gum –
this is relatively new product which is indispensable for coeliac
baking. Naturally, gluten free flours are less elastic in texture
and adding a small amount of xanthan gum will, to some extent,
replace these elastic qualities.
Remember
- Only the chef knows if foods
are allergen free.
- Roasting/heating/removing allergens
don’t necessarily make food safe.
- Prevent accidental contact;
thoroughly wash equipment that has contact with allergens. Foods
can be contaminated during processing where machinery is used
for many products.
- When frying foods, always use
nut free oils.
- Ethnic/vegetarian products:
inform the consumer as to dishes containing allergens, especially
when not obvious e.g. with oils.
- Changes can be made by manufacturers
without warning; always read the label.
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