Mountain Views News          Saturday, June 23, 2012

9

GOOD FOOD & DRINK

 Mountain Views News Saturday June 23, 2012 

DO ONE DON’T DO THE OTHER


Must admit with all the past weeks food notes and trivial trivia, I almost missed National 
Margarita & Chili Days, and what type of foodie would I be, but fear not friends, I did 
partake in a Margarita and a hot bowl of beanless chili. I have to take my Andy Rooney 
Card out again and give you my fellow diners the rules of Etiquette 101. I love my daughter, 
and some of my friends kids. But here goes.

I am I am asked frequently asked about etiquette and table manners, so I compiled this 
simple list based on the most common questions.

-Your napkin goes in your lap, folded in half, as soon as you sit down. Many people wait until 
the food arrives, but the proper form is to be prepared.

-If you leave the table, place the napkin to the left of your 
plate, loosely draped.

- A napkin is never for blowing your noise or wiping your 
mouth. Use it to dab at the corners of your mouth or your 
fingertips. If you need to cleanse further, leave the table 
and use the appropriate products in the restroom.

- In formal dining, a charger will be under the place setting. It remains there during the 
starter course and is removed at the main course.

-Your eating utensils go in the order of use, starting from the outside (furthest from the 
plate) and working their way in. Forks go on the left; knives and spoons on the right, as you 
face the plate. Dessert utensils are placed at the top of the plate, sideways.

- The bread and butter plate goes to the left, above the forks.

-The water glass goes above the knives (behind the wine goblet, if there is one).

-Food should be passed counter-clockwise.

- It is considered impolite to start eating before everyone is seated and served, including 
your host.

-Only the meal settings and food belong on the table. Do not place your elbows, eyeglasses, 
notebook, pen or other objects on the table.

- Cut no more than two bites of any item at a time. When it comes to bread, tear off one bite 
at a time and butter it, rather than buttering a whole roll.

- Do not season your food until you have tasted it.

- It is permissible to use a piece of bread to wipe up excess gravy, as long as you use your 
fork and not your fingers.

- If you need to leave the table, place your utensils on the edge of your plate so that the tips 
point to the plate’s center, in a V-shape. To signal when you are finished, lay your utensils 
side by side diagonally on the plate.

Listen to Talk radio KABC’s Dining with Dills weekends with Peter Dills

PASTA SALAD WITH STEAK, 
BELL PEPPER, GREEN BEANS 
AND BACON


INGREDIENTS

Kosher salt 

1/2 pound medium shell pasta 

1 cup chopped cooked steak 

1 cup diced green bell pepper 

1 cup chopped blanched green beans 

1/2 cup crumbled cooked bacon 

1/4 cup mayonnaise 

1/4 cup sour cream 

1 tablespoon lemon juice 

1/4 teaspoon finely grated garlic 

3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese 

Freshly ground pepper

DIRECTIONS

 Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook as the label directs; 
drain and rinse under cold water. Transfer to a large bowl.

Add the steak, bell pepper, green beans and bacon to the bowl with the pasta.

Make the dressing: Mix the mayonnaise, sour cream, lemon juice, garlic, parmesan, and 
salt and pepper to taste in a bowl. Pour over the pasta salad and toss to coat. Season with 
salt and pepper. Chill for up to 3 hours.

TABLE FOR TWO by Peter Dills

thechefknows@yahoo.com

SIMPLE GUIDELINES FOR SAFER GRILLING

 

(NAPSI)—Cooking outdoors is in at any time of year. When you grill, it’s important to follow 
the guidelines from the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service to prevent harmful 
bacteria from multiplying and causing food poisoning: 

• When shopping, buy cold food such as meat and poultry last, right before checkout. Separate 
raw meat and poultry from other food in your shopping cart and put packages of raw 
meat and poultry into plastic bags. 

• Plan to go home right from the store. Consider taking a cooler with ice for perishables. Always 
refrigerate perishable food within two hours—within one hour when the temperature 
is above 90° F. 

• At home, place meat and poultry in the refrigerator immediately. Freeze poultry and 
ground meat that won’t be used in a day or two. 

• Completely thaw meat and poultry before grilling so it cooks evenly. Use the refrigerator 
for slow, safe thawing. For quicker thawing, you can defrost in the microwave or in cold water 
if the food will be placed immediately on the grill. 

• A marinade is a savory, acidic 
sauce in which a food is soaked to 
enrich its flavor or to tenderize it. 
Marinate food in the refrigerator, 
not on the counter. Poultry and 
cubed meat or stew meat can be 
marinated up to two days. Beef, 
veal, pork and lamb roasts, chops 
and steaks may be marinated up 
to five days. If some of the marinade 
is to be used as a sauce on 
the cooked food, reserve a portion 
before putting raw meat 
and poultry in it. However, if 
the marinade used on raw meat 
or poultry is to be reused, make 
sure to let it come to a boil first 
to destroy any harmful bacteria. 

• When transporting food, keep 
it cold. Use an insulated cooler 
with sufficient ice or ice packs to 
keep the food at 40° F or below. 
Pack it immediately before leaving 
home. Keep it cold until ready to use. 

• Always wash hands with soap and water 
before handling food. Use hand sanitizer or 
moist towelettes if soap and water are not 
available. 

• Meat and poultry cooked on a grill often 
brown very fast on the outside. Use a food 
thermometer to be sure the food has reached 
a safe minimum internal temperature. 

• After cooking meat and poultry on the grill, 
keep it hot until served-at 140° F or warmer. 
Keep cooked meats on the side of the grill 
rack. At home, cooked meat can be kept hot 
in an oven set at approximately 200° F, in a 
chafing dish or slow cooker or on a warming 
tray. 

• Refrigerate any leftovers promptly in shallow 
containers. Discard any food left out 
more than two hours. 

• Learn more at www.fsis.usda.gov/factsheets/
barbecue_food_safety/index.asp. 

For more information, visit www.fsis.usda.
gov or ask a food safety question anytime at 
www.AskKaren.gov or via smart-phone at 
m.askkaren.gov or call 1-888-MPHOTLINE.