May 02, 2014
Under new food safety law, bartenders have to wear gloves
Written by Betty Hallock - The LA Times
Chefs aren't the only ones affected by a new food safety law that bans culinary workers from touching certain foods with their bare hands. Like chefs, bartenders have to wear gloves or use other utensils to make their drinks. No touching ice, fruit garnishes or anything else that goes directly into your glass.
Changes to the California Retail Food Code that went into effect at the beginning of 2014 require disposable gloves or utensils such as tongs, paper or scoops to be used when handling "ready-to-eat" foods, which include sushi, bread, deli meats and fresh fruit and vegetables. Basically, nothing that won't be cooked or reheated before it goes out to diners can be touched with bare hands.
"Technically speaking, these rules do apply to bars," says Angelica Pappas, a spokeswoman for the California Restaurant Assn. "It’s been a common question we’ve heard ... so there may be more information to come on this in guidance documents from the health inspectors."
Bartender Matthew Biancaniello says he has experimented with gloves in the past. "I felt really suffocated by it," he says. Biancaniello uses so many ingredients, garnishes and cooking methods for his drinks that he has been referred to as a "cocktail chef."
"I'm always touching any kind of herbs from my garden, touching persimmons to feel for their plumpness or softness.
"But the gloves thing, even when I go to buffets and see it, I flinch a little and think 'hospital.'"
Continue reading " Under new food safety law, bartenders have to wear gloves"
Posted by RedStagg at 06:41 AM | Comments (0)
March 23, 2012
Tampa Grads Getting Hot Jobs
Our Tampa School, The American Bartending School has been keeping quite busy in helping staff bars and restaurants in not only the local Tampa Bay area but in other great areas of Florida.
Assistant Director Tracy Zuluaga reports that the school's job placement database generally will have as many as 30 to 45 listings posted each week. Zuluaga says that they have students getting jobs, and as long as the grads listen to the school staff in how to go about getting a great bartending job, they will be successful.
Recent graduate Rachel Tygart knows this all very well. In a Facebook Recommendation for the school this week Rachel writes,
"This school is more than what anyone thinks. The instructors are great and the classes are fun. And after successfully completing the course, the doors are always open and inviting for you to keep coming back and practicing whenever you need to. I would (and have) recommended going to this school to anyone even remotely interested in bartending now or in the future. And as for job placement, if
you put in even just a little effort, it's not difficult in the slightest, with the schools help, to land a job. I had 2 interviews yesterday at 2 very established and popular clubs in Ybor City and with the things I learned from attending the school, I landed both jobs. Anyone can do this so go do it! What are you waiting for?"
Rachel is currently working at Club Prana, a very trendy posh nightclub that has become one of hottest two-story nightclubs in Tampa Bay.
She also is bartending at Club Underground a night club which features some of the biggest and hottest events that come to Tampa.
Joshua Poirier is also is a very happy graduate of the school as well. In a Facebook post for the school earlier this week Joshua writes,
"Moving to the keys sunday! Got a bartending job at the cheeca lodge & resort!"
Zuluaga responded,
"We love Josh Poirier! His first job was at the Magnuson Hotel Marina Cove in St Pete - from there he starting working at the Black Palm in St Pete and he came by my office yesterday to tell me he landed a job on the fabulous Isla Morada in the Keys - not only will he be bartending but housing is included and he will be living on the stunning Cheeca Lodge & Resort Isla Morada"
Congratulations to both Rachel & Joshua as they continue making a great career behind bars!
Randy Bullen - PBSA Inc.
Posted by RedStagg at 01:16 PM | Comments (0)
The Secret Ingredient
Liquor companies love to claim they use closely guarded, centuries-old recipes. usually it’s just marketing.
By Wayne Curtis - April 2012 The Atlantic Magazine
The original recipe for Benedictine liqueur was discovered in a 16th-century alchemist’s notebook—or so I was told by my tour guide at the Benedictine distillery in Fécamp, France. That notebook, in turn, had been associated with the Benedictine monks, who she said had helped devise the recipe. Any chance that I might glimpse this exalted tome? “No, it’s not here,” the guide said. Read More
Posted by RedStagg at 12:53 PM | Comments (0)
March 22, 2012
Yahoo Travel - Americas Best Bars
Check Out Americas Best Bars From Yahoo Travel
From a lounge in a renovated Las Vegas wedding chapel to a 19th-century-style saloon, America’s best bars celebrate the handmade, the historical and the locally sourced. Read More
Posted by RedStagg at 04:23 PM | Comments (0)
March 20, 2012
Star Of The Bar Competition
Are you the next Star of the Bar? Professional and amateur mixologists are invited to go head to head and see who can create the nation’s most creative cocktail for the Star of the Bar title and $5,000 cash prize at the 2012 International Wine, Spirits & Beer Event. IWSB will be held at its new dates May 6 and 7 at Chicago's McCormick Place.
Interested in a shot at the title, a trip to Chicago to demonstrate your skills at IWSB, plus $5,000? Read More
Posted by RedStagg at 09:01 AM | Comments (0)