Dear Epicurean Club Member's,
I'm hoping that everyone had a great Summer. As the Summer comes to an end and we start to move into the Fall one thing that comes to mine is harvesting all of them beautiful tomatoes. I've put together some idea's/Recipes that will make your Tomato harvest easy and simple.
When to harvest tomatoes? They generally are not ready until August or September. However, if there is an early cold snap, your entire crop can be destroyed. Once your tomatoes start growing, watch for signs of size and color. You can wait until your tomatoes are fully ripe to harvest them.
Alternatively, you can pick them half-ripe and they will then ripen on their own inside. For half-ripe tomatoes, make sure there is a pink hue to them. Too green and they won’t ripen at all. Grasp the tomato and make a clean cut with garden clippers.A clean-cut can help promote growth so you can get more tomatoes from the plant. Ripen your tomatoes fully in a warm dark place. Then, move them to a cooler place to store.
It’s best not to place your tomatoes in the fridge as this could lead them to rot earlier. However, you only have a few days before you need to eat your tomatoes.
HOW DO YOU KNOW WHEN YOUR TOMATOES ARE READY TO HARVEST?
Throughout the summer your tomatoes will be dutifully growing. By August you should see a bunch of green or slightly pink tomatoes.
Depending on your climate and the variety of your tomatoes, they will be ready in August or September. If you live in a climate that has unpredictable fall weather, you want to really pay attention.
If there is a cold snap and the temperature falls under 45°F, your tomato plants won’t be able to survive. In this case, you want to harvest what you can before the cold snap and hope your tomatoes will ripen further inside.
Aside from color, ripe tomatoes should have a nice firmness to them. Test out this texture although be careful not to squeeze too hard on your tomatoes.
What to do with all those Summer Tomatoes:
Tomato Salsa
Salsas aren’t just for chips. Use this fresh one to top burritos, tacos, enchiladas, chili, or bean soups; add to omelets and scrambled eggs; spoon onto grilled pork, beef, poultry, and fish, or use in place of ketchup on burgers.
Slow- Roasting Tomato
which caramelizes and intensifies the flavor of tomatoes and gives them a meatier, more robust texture, is a perfect way to preserve these summer gems. Once you've roasted the beefsteak tomatoes, they'll keep in the freezer for months.
Tomato Jam
Sweet (but not too sweet), this jam has a texture so luxurious and refined, that it’s hard to believe it’s so easy to make. You’ll want to eat it right out of the jar, but it’s great on toast and burgers in place of ketchup or served alongside grilled lamb or salmon. It also pairs exceptionally well with cheeses and cured meat.
Tomato Puree
Keeping tomato purée on hand is like having money in the bank; it's a base that can add depth and flavor to all kinds of dishes. Use this one as the base for marinara sauce, tomato soup, a tomato granita, or a bloody Mary.
Tomato Confit, Basil & Goat Cheese Terrine
Slow-roasted tomatoes make excellent toppers on just about any grilled meat, but here, they're the star in a gorgeous party-worthy terrine.
Heirloom Bloody Mary
At its best in late summer, this brunch mainstay is made truly special by passing the tomatoes through a potato ricer rather than juicing them.
Upcoming events
September 17&18th
Wachusett BBQ Fest (Volunteers needed)
October
Group meeting with ACF RI
November 7th
Presidents Ball, Summerset Club Boston
Membership meeting TBD
December
Pearl Street Station Malden
John R DiSessa CEC, AAC and Doug Patten CEC, AAC present Monroe College with a 500.00 Grant
50th Annual Induction Reception and Dinner menu Artisan Imported and domestic cheese display Charcuterie Display Cold Seafood Display Shrimp Cocktail Oysters on the Half Shell
Chef Earle Test Certification Corner
August 10,2022
ACF Certification exhibits a benchmark of excellence by demonstrating professional standards in culinary skills and knowledge of the food service industry. Certified chefs attain the well-deserved recognition and respect of their peers.
Upcoming Practical Exam
The Epicurean Club of Boston is once again partnering with Assabet Valley Regional Technical HS in Marlborough, MA to host an ACF Certification Practical Exam on Saturday, October 1, 2022.
To register for the exam you can follow this link https://tinyurl.com/3ykmtbzt
Registering for ACF Practical Exams
• ACF approval is required prior to registering for practical exams.
• Register online or by submitting Practical Exam Candidate Registration Form.
• The practical exam fee is $50 for ACF members and $100 for non-members. Test sites may charge an additional host site fee that is payable to the site hosting the exam.
• Practical exam scores are valid for one year.
We are ready and happy to help you prepare and answer any questions you may have about the certification process.
Recertification
Recertification enhances continued competence and reaffirms knowledge in food safety and sanitation, nutrition and supervisory management. Learning experiences that enhance the knowledge and skill development of culinary arts professionals are considered continued education hours (CEH).
Upgrading/Adding an Additional Certification
If you are interested in upgrading your current certification or adding an additional certification, please contact the ACF Certification Department prior to applying to verify documentation already on file. Upgrading may be more appropriate for some candidates than recertification, and most of your requirements will be on file.
Maintaining Certification
All levels require 80 CEHs every five (5) years. The requirement of 80 CEHs over a five-year period was determined so that, on average, a chef would complete 16 CEHs per year, keeping them current and up to date on culinary trends and practices.
If you have additional certification levels, your CEH recertification requirements will be as follows:
Two certification levels: 120
Three certification levels: 140
Four certification levels: 160
Earning CEHs
Plan ahead to make the best use of your time and money. You can begin earning CEHs as soon as you have completed the last recertification cycle. Know what you need and begin earning CEHs early to keep up your certification. ACF Certified Members can monitor CEHs on ACF Member Profile Page.
Food Safety and Sanitation must be current (completed no more than five years ago) for every recertification. An 8-hour refresher, state issued sanitation card or ServSafe can be used to fulfill the requirement. Nutrition and Supervisory Management refreshers (8 hour minimum) are only submitted one time for recertification once original 30-hour courses are more than five years old.
25% of your CEH must come from volunteer, leadership, or competition activities effective January 1, 2020 for all levels.
ACF-Approved Learning Opportunities
Online Learning Center https://tinyurl.com/yvmhdx4n
The ACF provides online opportunities to enhance your skills, advance your career and maintain your ACF certification. Take online classes, quizzes and practice written certification exams all in one place. Watch recorded sessions from ACF events if you were unable to attend. ACF members, your continuing education hours will be automatically uploaded to your profile. Many of the classes are free so take a moment and check out all the offerings by following the link above.
Digital Badges
As the premier certifying body for cooks and chefs and America, ACF remains committed to providing you with the tools necessary to achieve your professional goals. We are pleased to announce the launch of a new way to communicate the ACF credentials you have earned in the ever-expanding online marketplace as well as on social media. At no cost to you!
The ACF has partnered with Credly’s Acclaim platform to provide you with a digital version of your credentials. Digital badges can be used in email signatures or digital resumes, and on social media sites such as LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter. This link contains https://www.credly.com/organizations/american-culinary-federation/badges verified metadata that describes your qualifications and the process required to earn them.
If you have any questions regarding the certification process please contact Certification Chair, Earle Test, CEC, CCE, CCA at emtest@verizon.net