Mary Bilyeu: Safety first, in the kitchen
Jun. 13—"One of the biggest things we learn about kitchen safety is communication," said Andi Lawrence, a culinary arts instructor at Clay High School and the chef-owner at Foodology, which teaches a variety of classes for enthusiastic cooks and cooking/baking wannabes of all ages.
I'd spoken with Ms. Lawrence for this week's featured recipe story about National Kitchen Klutzes Day, intending to cover both safety issues and epic recipe fails — two separate aspects of klutziness.
But space constraints are the bane of my existence, and there simply wasn't room to address both topics along with the recipes and readers' stories of recipe redemption.
So we'll cover a few safety issues here, instead, hoping that we — the kitchen klutzes of the world (because each of us is a kitchen klutz at one time or another) — can unite to prevent injury and illness.
Ms. Lawrence started by saying you should notify someone if, for example, you've taken a pot of boiling water off the stove and the burner is searingly hot, so no one accidentally touches it and gets burned.
She also said to tell others if there are sharp knives resting in a sink full of soapy water, so the sharp blades aren't found by accident when someone reaches under the bubbles. (Keep those knives sharp, by the way, to reduce cuts when fighting with a dull blade that will slip more readily, rather than slicing cleanly.)
And be sure to let someone know if you're behind them before they turn around and bump into you, particularly if either of you might be carrying something that could cause injury.
To avoid food poisoning, make sure to use thermometers to ensure correct temperatures in your refrigerator (below 41F, per the Ohio State University Extension office), oven (so items cook and bake properly and thoroughly), and cooked meats (a guideline chart for safe temperatures can be found at tasteofhome.com/article/food-safe-cooking-temperatures/).
Ms. Lawrence said that she and her students often "talk about weird things" they may do in their kitchens at home, which are definitely not up to professional standards and which might even put family members at risk.
As a kid, she said, when her mom decided to serve chicken for dinner, pulling some out of the freezer and leaving it to defrost on the countertop all day "was the norm." But now we know that method is a huge risk: It's practically an invitation for bacteria to throw a party and invite all their friends.
"The best thing to do to thaw things is to plan ahead," Ms. Lawrence said, "and thaw them in the fridge. Or definitely under cold running water," if there's an unavoidable time crunch.
And be sure to use a different cutting board for that raw chicken or other uncooked meats, rather than chopping vegetables, fruits, and other ingredients on the same contaminated surface.
You don't want to live down a reputation as someone who serves up food poisoning, after all.
Always remember that being conscientious and careful while cooking will reduce your chances of becoming a kitchen klutz.
