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MENU du JOUR:
      Appetizer
      Main Course
           Christianity in the Kitchen - "Go Vols!"
           Culinary Learning - "The Cuisine of Greece"
           CCF Trivia
           Recipes - Avgolemono & Baklava
           Recent Job Listings - 5 New
      Dessert
           Recipe Contests (For Professionals Only)
           Hints and Tips
           Featured Website - A Guide to Greek Food
           Chef to Chef
           A Little Something Extra
           A Merry Heart
      Toothpick

Happy New Year everyone! This is the time of year many cooks and chefs go on vacation, and Leo has a great encouragement for us to get involved with other ministries outside of the kitchens we work in.

We hear that a lot around here, mostly during football season. I live in the USA in the state of Tennessee -- a state which is proud of the heritage of their famous volunteers and as such named the University of Tennessee football team The Volunteers. The "Go Vols!" thing is everywhere; I find myself saying it too. I know this message is in the Christianity IN the Kitchen part of the newsletter but this is about taking our Christianity, talents, and gifts OUT of the kitchen and taking it to the streets.

My name is Leo Griego. I worship at The Psalmist Christian Fellowship. I work at the Nashville Rescue Mission. These things say something about me but are not who I am. Who I am is a child of God who came to that realization by the Love of my Father personified in Jesus the Christ. I belong to the One who died and rose again. My testimony? Simple...I said...YES. And meant it...Finally.

It's amazing what happens when you say YES. It can be (and often is) life changing. Do the words "I do" ring a bell? When we enter into a relationship with our Lord Jesus Christ, we are walking on new ground -- the new creation that we are. And when your true soul mate asks or tells us to do something, we do our best to comply, especially if we want peace in our house...Amen?

All this is to say God tells us in the Word what to do and just how to do it. In this message I am encouraging you to stay in the Word and listen to what Jesus said to Peter after He rose and after Peter had denied Him. (How many times have we denied Him?) Jesus said in the 21st chapter of John, "feed my sheep." He was referring to the lost sheep and I, like you, am a feeder...sometimes called a Chef or Cook. I told God YES and meant it. God brought me here. I feed the lost sheep but I can't do it alone. Thank God through Christ I can for Christ provides me with all the help I need -- VOLUNTEERS. If you need to know what God wants of you, ask Him and seek His character in the Word. In Matthew 25:35-40, you will find the answer.

I now work at a rescue mission by God having opened the door in an amazing way---and I even get paid! I am blessed to see miracles and touch lives each and every day. I see the miracle of the harvest and the miracle of the feeding every day. I see people called by God to come for an hour, or two, or three...so many---thousands per year and each one leaves blessed and feeling great because they went out of their way, their day, and their life to do as God asks. I've seen secular and non-secular groups; entire restaurant crews come in, and prepare a meal or join forces with us preparing part of a meal. I've seen Jews, Hindus, and Agnostics come and serve and everyone was touched. Almost every person said they had fun working and sweating. (You all know how hot a kitchen and serving line can get.) Fun? They are touched by the joy of the Lord at work in this place. They are not all Christians but come at the call of service to others. God is strong here and the call is strong in that God calls ALL who come here -- those to eat and sleep and hear the Word of God preached, those who work here and get paid, those who come to make a choice for Jesus and change their lives, and those who come and volunteer...all are building riches in heaven. We have men and women who work a shift with us as part of their life recovery as a major part of their decision for Christ. As employees of God, they are stockpiling treasure safe from moths' rust and burglars -- and talk about a retirement plan! Wow! I joyfully tell them I'll talk to the Boss about that raise for them. I tell them I will pray for them.

I am just encouraging you to take your talents and share them with those who REALLY appreciate them in more ways than you will ever know -- the needy in your sphere of influence. Find someone or an organization that needs help...it doesn't have to be Christian. They will know YOU are Christians by your love. The persons you serve, your Sisters and Brothers out there doing it day in and day out, and the God who makes it all happen will see it also. The Door has always been there. You are welcome. I pray you will take that extra step and set your feet for a while on an amazing path that God has made. Show God who you are in Christ and show those whom you serve how amazing God can be. God gives you "4 Star Treatment" and now it's your turn.

As we begin this New Year, let's support those with whom we are partnered in missions and outreach. If we are evangelists or missionaries by calling, then let's make a commitment to pray a prayer of praise and thanksgiving for our supporting partners. If we are members of a supporting congregation, or fellowship, then let's give thanks for being able to support those who share the Gospel everywhere and those who work among different cultures and in different locations in our own country. To share in God's work with God's people is truly a great blessing and privilege -- as is fellowshipping and sharing with you.

In His Love,
Leo Griego
Director Food Service Ministry
Nashville Rescue Mission and proud member of the Christian Chefs Fellowship
http://www.geocities.com/leo_d_lyon/

If God is speaking to your heart about these things, and you need somebody to talk with, please don't hesitate to e-mail us about your need and somebody from the Fellowship will contact you as soon as possible. If you have a prayer request or would like to start a theological discussion on this or any other topic, please feel free to post it in our Message Boards:
http://www.ChristianChefs.org/forums.html

Most people, when they think of Greek cooking, think of stuffed grape leaves and baklava; yet it consists of so much more.

In the distant past, Greece was an agricultural country that produced a great deal of grains and various other products. The country's support later changed to become solely dependent on the vine and the olive. Greece's economy eventually dropped off because of that change too, because not having a variety

of agriculture depleted the soil's resources through erosion and drought. Currently, the cuisine of Greece is heavily influenced by the sea, which gave it initial greatness, and by the Turks, whom Greece has fought for centuries. They have also borrowed a great deal from their neighbors in the Middle East and the Balkans. Some ingredients used greatly in Greece and the other Mediterranean countries are olives and olive oil, grapes, wheat bread, and garlic.

Greece was one of the first countries to have a solid culinary background. They were the ones to start the production of olive oil, and to this day their culture strongly revolves around good food. People often cook for days just to prepare a meal for some friends.

Greek cuisine consists mostly of fish, mutton, and a variety of herbs and vegetables. Flavoring of dishes often includes olive oil, a multitude of aromatic herbs, and lemon.

Being next to the sea, fish and shellfish are extremely popular in every way - grilled, baked, fried, and whole (head on).

Lamb is the primary meat, which is commonly braised, stewed, skewered, broiled, and for festivities even spit-roasted. George Moser, a CCF member, recently informed me that when they spit-roast the lamb, they make a kabob of all the innards, then wrap it all with the intestines of the mutton or lamb and season it with olive oil, garlic, oregano, and lemon with a touch of mint. Goat is also fairly popular. Since the sheep and goats are raised to graze freely in the pastures (which are rich in herbs), their meat and the cheese they produce is unique in contrast to any other.

A very popular dish that includes lamb is moussaka - a layered and baked dish of eggplant and ground lamb with a custard topping. Souvlaki is very popular too, which is marinated and grilled lamb skewers.

A common traditional Greek soup is avgolemono which is made with chicken broth, egg yolks, rice, and lemon juice. There is a sauce by the same name, which differs by being a bit thicker than the soup and it doesn't have rice.

Herbs and vegetables play a very strong role in the food as well. Generally only the freshest herbs and vegetables are used, and since they have such a mild climate in Greece, almost all farms grow everything naturally (making all fruits and vegetables full of aroma and taste). Needless to say, in Greek cooking you can find a variety of salads, vegetable salads, and other fabulous vegetarian dishes.

For dessert, the Greeks love their phyllo dough pastries, the most popular of course being baklava. Baklava consists of many layers of buttered phyllo pastry, spices, and chopped nuts. A spiced honey-lemon syrup is poured over the warm pastry after it's baked and allowed to soak into the layers. It's generally served cut into triangles and sometimes sprinkled with coarsely ground nuts.

Questions about this article or any other culinary related subject can be asked via the "Culinary Q&A" Section of the Message Boards:
http://www.ChristianChefs.org/forums.html

Which of the following statements was NOT spoken by Jesus?
A) I am the Son of God
B) I am the resurrection of life
C) I am the rock
D) I am the true vine

E-mail your answer to "trivia@ChristianChefs.org" with "Trivia Answer" in the subject column. Also, please tell us what brief title(s) ("Sous Chef," "Dallas, Texas," or whatever - see examples below) you would prefer for your name being listed in the next newsletter, as well as how difficult you found the question (so we can improve future trivia questions).

Question:
What is the Greek soup made with chicken broth, egg yolks, lemon juice, and rice?

Additional information on the subject can be found in the Culinary Learning article above and in the Recipes section below.

The first people to answer this question correctly:
1. George A. Moser, Chef, Baltimore Maryland
2. Phil Bettencourt, Administrative Coordinator, Alia Corporation/McDonald's, Merced, California
3. Sheri, Turlock California
4. Leo Griego, Nashville Rescue Mission, http://www.geocities.com/leo_d_lyon/
5. Seiji Nakatani

My introduction to Greek cuisine and one of my favorites still. Will serve 6, but is easily expandable and is quick enough to make in small batches for restaurant service and holds fairly well in a Bain Marie.

Ingredients:
2 Qt (1.9 L) of a really good chicken consomme (flavored with a little fresh lemon thyme or lemon grass, and lemon zest), or clarified broth
3 egg yolks (you can use the whites to create your raft)
Juice of 2 lemons

Procedure:
1. When consomme is done remove from fire.
2. Whisk egg yolks adding the lemon juice slowly.
3. Temper the egg yolk mixture with a ladle of the consomme.
4. Add the tempered yolk mixture to the consomme.
5. Return consomme to fire and heat (do not boil) until soup is creamy and just coats the spoon.
6. Add salt to taste.
7. Enjoy! Opa! A great appetizer/soup with a richness and that citrus tang that leaves the mouth ready for more Greek cuisine! Such a variety of flavors and textures..And a little Ouzo...Opa indeed!

Ingredients:
16 sheets Phyllo Dough
Butter
Walnuts, chopped (but not too finely)

For Syrup:
Honey
Butter
Orange Juice
Zest of 2 Oranges
touch of Cinnamon and Nutmeg

Procedure:
1. Get a pan well buttered and start layering phyllo dough with each layer butter until you have about 8 layers.
2. Add a layer of chopped walnuts.
3. Layer more phyllo on top as you have done the bottom 8 layers.
4. Cut it diagonally the whole way through. (Cutting it before cooking is the trick to making it.)
5. Cook it in a 300'F (149'C) oven until it has crisped up and you smell the walnuts.
6. While this is in the oven, add all the syrup ingredients together in a pot to make a medium syrup.
7. When you remove the baklava, let it cool a little then pour syrup over and let set, just enough to be absorbed into the baklava.
8. Since you cut it first, it is ready to serve.

We prefer to list recipes from Christian Chefs rather than from other sources, so if you have any good recipes of your own, please post them in the "Recipes" section of the Message Boards.� Please include an introduction to the recipe with your personal comments of the stories that make them special, and if your recipe is chosen, it will be listed in our website forever and in our next newsletter.
http://www.ChristianChefs.org/forums.html

More information on each of the below Job Listings, such as the job's timeline, responsibilities, pay, and how to contact the employer on each of these, can be found within the Employment area of our website (link below). There you can also find jobs that have been posted in previous months that haven't yet been filled and you can also post any job openings you have to be listed there and in this newsletter for FREE!
http://www.ChristianChefs.org/employment.html

Name = Potter's Field Ranch
Location = Whitefish, Montana (USA)
Position = Food Service Coordinator

Name = Yosemite Institute
Location = Yosemite National Park, California (USA)
Position = Cook

Name = Lekarica Restaurant
Location = Lake Wales, Florida (USA)
Position = Chef/Food & Beverage Manager and Line Cook/Sous Chef

Name = CYC of SA Inc-El Shaddai Camp
Location = Wellington, South Australia
Position = Kitchen Manager

Name = Cloverley Hall
Location = Shropshire, England (UK)
Position = Assistant Chef

Please note: Contest Listing(s) below are for PROFESSIONALS ONLY in the culinary industry. There are many more contests available for nonprofessionals as well, some of them ongoing or being repeated on a monthly basis. If you're interested in those, here's one excellent website to check out:
http://www.recipecontests.com

NIELSEN-MASSEY VANILLA RECIPE CONTEST
Nielsen-Massey and Pastry Art and Design Magazine are asking chefs to submit their best recipes that use their vanilla product.
DEADLINE: Feb. 1
PRIZES: Grand Prize: free admission to the 2004 World Pastry Forum and the World Pastry Team Championship, a $1,500 value.
WEB SITE: http://www.nielsenmassey.com/vanillavineIssue2_2003.htm
MORE INFO: Type your name, telephone number and address on an 8 1/2 x 11-inch sheet of paper, along with your recipe. The winner also gets the chance to learn from master pastry chefs from around the world.
Mail to:
"Show Us The Beans" Recipe Contest
45 West 34th Street
Suite 600
New York, N.Y. 10001

See also the Featured Website in this month's newsletter for an area where Contests and Giveaways are listed. There are many, MANY giveaways you might want to check out!

All contests listed above are provided by the company listed, NOT by CCF. For additional information on each contest, please contact the designated company for that specific listing. Enjoy!

If you know of any great hints or tips, please post them in the "Hints and Tips" area of the Message Boards. Of the ones posted there, one will be featured here in our newsletter.
http://www.ChristianChefs.org/forums.html

This website covers many different aspects of Greek cooking. It has many pictures and a variety of different articles on the different aspects of their cuisine. There are even restaurant guides, cookbook reviews, and of course some recipes.

"Have you all been noticing a decline in sales of beef since the whole Mad Cow outbreaks? It's weird - at the restaurant I'm at the beef items have been selling great - almost better than usual?!? I'm not concerned about the product we get - I just find it humorous."

If you're searching for particular instructions or cooking techniques or maybe have a special need, you can post these on our message boards. If you've done that and are still in need, please e-mail us and let us know so that we may highlight that need in this section of our next newsletter.

People often wonder why some people have such great friends and manage to keep them...If you manage to apply the following in your life, the same could work for you:

In ancient Greece, Socrates was reputed to hold knowledge in high esteem. One day an acquaintance met the great philosopher and said, "Do you know what I just heard about your friend?"

"Hold on a minute," Socrates replied. "Before telling me anything, I'd like you to pass a little test. It's called the Triple Filter test."

"That's right," Socrates continued. "Before you talk to me about my friend, it might be a good idea to take a moment and filter what you're going to say. That's why I call it the Triple Filter Test. The first filter is Truth. Have you made absolutely sure that what you are about to tell me is true?"

"All right," said Socrates. "So you don't really know if it's true or not. Now let's try the second filter, the filter of Goodness. Is what you are about to tell me about my friend something good?"

"So," Socrates continued, "You want to tell me something bad about him, but you're not certain it's true. You may still pass the test though, because there's one filter left: the filter of Usefulness. Is what you want to tell me about my friend going to be useful to me?"

"Well," concluded Socrates, "if what you want to tell me is neither true nor good nor even useful, why tell it to me at all?"

This is why Socrates was a great philosopher & held in such high esteem. If we are able to protect our friends and those we love in this manner, we cannot be influenced by outsiders in having bad notions about them.

If this newsletter was forwarded to you and you would like to be added to this mailing list, please go to the following link for a free subscription:
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Whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. -1 Cor 10:31 ESV

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Christian Chefs Newsletter
January 2004

><> ><> ><> ><> CHRISTIANITY IN THE KITCHEN <>< <>< <>< <><

><> ><> ><> ><> CULINARY LEARNING <>< <>< <>< <><

><> ><> ><> ><> TRIVIA <>< <>< <>< <><

><> ><> ><> ><> RECIPE <>< <>< <>< <><

><> ><> ><> ><> RECENT JOB LISTINGS <>< <>< <>< <><

><> ><> ><> ><> RECIPE CONTESTS <>< <>< <>< <><

><> ><> ><> ><> HINTS AND TIPS <>< <>< <>< <><

><> ><> ><> ><> FEATURED WEBSITE <>< <>< <>< <><
A Guide to Greek Food

><> ><> ><> ><> CHEF TO CHEF <>< <>< <>< <><
"Mad Cow"

><> ><> ><> ><> A LITTLE SOMETHING EXTRA <>< <>< <>< <><

><> ><> ><> ><> A MERRY HEART <>< <>< <>< <><

Christian Chefs Newsletter January 2004