Understanding Masalas for F.Y B.Sc
Remember the last time you had a great biryani, chicken tikka or paneer makhani, what was it that made the experience so mouth watering!
Was it the masala?
Every kitchen commercial or household generally has a “hatri” or masala trolley to store different masalas; this is an integral part of creating that particular cuisine.
Spices can be divided according to the following classification
Spices
Dry Ground
Single Blends Single Blends
Spices can be the seed(Cumin),Flower(Clove),Resin (Asafetida),Leaf(Mint),Bark(Cinnamon),Root(Turmeric),Fruit(Amchoor),Stigma(Saffron) etc. coming from plant sources. Other not so common categories include mineral salts like black salt, Fungus (Dagad Phool or patthar ka phool).
Some other flavorings apart from Spices but equally important can be. Acids (Nimboo ka sat or Citric Acid), Oils (Sesame oil, Mustard Oil), Essences like (Kewra or Screw pine/Rose).
Masala can be defined a blend of various ingredients including spices. It generally contains spices (e.g. coriander powder, chili powder) +Thickening agents (e.g. Khus khus, cashew paste etc.)+acidic medium (tomato, yoghurt etc.)+liquid (coconut milk, stock etc.) .Some ingredients play more than one role like tamarind gives sourness and also acts as the liquid)
The Following chart has information regarding individual Spices.
The next Step is to understand Spice blends, these blends can be dry/dry roasted/crushed/fresh/ground etc. Every chef/Cook/Household/Proprietor has their own approach to these blends, these blends are highly guarded secrets in some cases .some blends are preparation specific Like Chana Masala, Mutton Masala, and Gram Masala. Some blends are cuisine /region/community specific like Malwani Masala, Chettinad Masala, Goda Masala, Parsi dhansak masala etc.
RICE
Rice is the seed of a monocot plant Oryza sativa. As a cereal grain, it is the most important staple food for a large part of the world's human population, especially in East, South, Southeast Asia, the Middle East, Latin America, and the West Indies. It is the grain with the second highest worldwide production, after maize ("corn").
[1] Since a large portion of maize crops are grown for purposes other than human consumption, rice is probably the most important grain with regards to human nutrition and caloric intake, providing more than one fifth of the calories consumed worldwide by the human species.
[2]A traditional food plant in Africa, rice has the potential to improve nutrition, boost food security, foster rural development and support sustainable land care.
[3]Rice is normally grown as an annual plant, although in tropical areas it can survive as a perennial and can produce a crop for up to 30 years.
[4]The rice plant can grow to 1–1.8 m tall, occasionally more depending on the variety and soil fertility. The grass has long, slender leaves 50–100 cm long and 2–2.5 cm broad. The small wind-pollinated flowers are produced in a branched arching to pendulous inflorescence 30–50 cm long. The edible seed is a grain (caryopsis) 5–12 mm long and 2–3 mm thick.
Types of Rice.
1. Paddy Rice - Rice still in its original state with no further
Treatment after threshing.
2. Brown Rice - (Husked Rice) Rice with the outer husk
Removed having a characteristic beige color.
3. White Rice - Brown rice from which all the germ is
Removed by passing through machines that rasp the grain. It is also called unpolished rice.
4. Polished Rice - White rice that has been passed through
Machines that remove any flour still adhering to the grain.
5. Glaze Rice - Polished rice covered with a fine layer of
French chalk and suspended in glucose,
Specially processed to give a shine.
6. Steamed Rice - Paddy rice that is cleaned, soaked in hot
Water, steamed at low pressure, de-husked & blanched.
7. Pre-cooked Rice - Rice that has been husked, soaked, boiled for
1 – 3 minutes. And dried at a high temperature.
8. Camolino Rice - Polished and lightly coated with oil.
9. Puffed Rice - In India it is roasted and fried on hot sand.
10. Wild Rice - The seed of an aquatic grass, related to the
Rice plant, it grows one by one up the stalks and resembles little black sticks. It is very expensive.
11. Basmati Rice - Indian rice with long grains, with a
Distinctive flavor. Old basmati rice is the most prized and is rarely available.
12. Sticky Rice - Round grain rice which has a very high starch
Content. Rarely available, it is most ideal for Chinese cooking.
13. Rice Flakes - Rice that is steamed, husked & flattened into
Flakes, it is eaten for breakfast with milk & sugar.
Or as a savory preparation (poha)
Rice is also used to make a variety of alcoholic drinks. :-
CHOUM - In Vietnam
SAMAV - In Malaysia
SAKE - In Japan
CHAO XING - In China
Nutrition: Rice has a very high Calorific value (350 cal, per 100 g. in whole rice & 120 cal. Per 100 g. in balanced rice). It is very rich in digestible starch (77 %) and also in vitamins B1, B2 and minerals.
Cooking of Rice
A) In Water:
1. Rice is put into the vessel with twice the amount of water, brought to a boil, and cooked till the water is absorbed.
2. Alternatively it can be poured into a vessel of boiling water, brought to a boil, cooked and drained off.
B) In Stock -In this method the rice is lightly fried in hot oil and stock is added to it. It is then cooked till the Rice is soft and all the stock has been absorbed.
C) In Milk : Rice is normally cooked in milk for making desserts. Short
Grained rice is ideal for this type of cooking because the
Grains stick together thus giving thickening properties to
The dish.
PULSES /LEGUMES/BEANS
A pulse is an annual leguminous crop yielding from one to twelve grains or seeds of variable size, shape, and color within a pod. Pulses are used for food and animal feed. The term "pulse", as used by the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO), is reserved for crops harvested solely for the dry grain. This excludes green beans and green peas, which are considered vegetable crops. Also excluded are crops that are mainly grown for oil extraction (oilseeds like soybeans and peanuts), and crops which are used exclusively for sowing (clovers, alfalfa). However, many of the varieties so classified and given below are also used as vegetables, with their beans in pods while young cooked in whole cuisines and sold for the purpose; for example black eyed beans, lima beans and Toor or pigeon peas are thus eaten as fresh green beans cooked as part of a meal. Pulses are important food crops due to their high protein and essential amino acid content. Like many leguminous crops, pulses play a key role in crop rotation due to their ability to fix nitrogen.
Protein content
Pulses are 20 to 25% protein by weight, which is double the protein content of wheat and three times that of rice. For this reason, pulses are called "vegetarian's meat". While pulses are generally high in protein, and the digestibility of that protein is also high, they often are relatively poor in the essential amino acid methionine, although Indian cuisine includes sesame seeds, which contain high levels of methionine. Grains (which are they deficient in lysine) are commonly consumed along with pulses to form a complete protein diet.
Health
Pulses have significant nutritional and health advantages for consumers
[1] They are the most important dietary predictor of survival in older people of different ethnicities
[2] And in the Seven Countries Study, legume consumption was highly correlated with a reduced mortality from coronary heart disease.
Examples
1. Dry beans
* Kidney bean, haricot bean, pinto bean, navy bean
* Lima bean, butter bean
* Azuki bean, adzuki bean
* Mung bean, golden gram, green gram
* Black gram, Urad
* Scarlet runner bean
* Ricebean
* Moth bean
* Tepary bean
2. Dry broad beans
* Horse bean
* Broad bean
* Field bean
3. Dry peas
* Garden pea
* Protein pea
4. Chickpea, Garbanzo, Bengal gram
5. Dry cowpea, Black-eyed pea, blackeye bean
6. Pigeon pea, Arhar /Toor, cajan pea, congo bean
7. Lentil
8. Bambara groundnut, earth pea
9. Vetch, common vetch
10. Lupins
11. Minor pulses include:
* Lablab, hyacinth bean
* Jack bean , sword bean
* Winged bean
* Velvet bean, cowitch
* Yam bean
Sprouts
Edible Sprouts are germinated plant seeds which are edible. They are usually produced by soaking the seeds at regular intervals over a 1-4 day interval. Sprouts are believed to be highly nutritious and rich in enzymes which promote good health.
Convenience: - They can be easily grown anywhere.
Offers a variation: - With their nutty flavor and crisp texture. Sprouts are simply a nice change from vegetable.
Cooking of Pulses and legumes. : Since pulses and legumes are very low in moisture content they have to be soaked in water. It’s advisable to soak pulses and boil them in the same water in which soaked as some nutrients may have bleached out to water.
Besides boiling pulses are roasted, fried and ground to make flour and then be used for various purposes.
Uses of Pulses
1. As dals - the basic course of Indian cookery.
2. As soups - e.g. Mulligatawny
3. Providing mutual supplementation of amino acids in Khicdi
4. As flour in missi roti, Besani roti.
5. As basic ingredient for idlis, uttapas and chillas.
6. As base ingredient or coating as in pakodas, wadas of various kinds.
7. As base for desserts like laddoos, mobanthal, payasam, Boondi.
8. As snacks like fried dal, sev, ganthias
9. Base ingredients for papads.
10. As stuffing as in dal kachories, puran polies, stuffed tikkis.
11. In chats and sprouted salads.
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Sunday, April 25, 2010
hk - management&planning, guest room inspections, environment awareness in hotel industry, daily routine of hk dept, communication system in hk, work order.
House-Keeping Management and Planning
Example of productive standard worksheet:
Total Shift Time = 9 hrs X 60 mins = 540 mins.
Beginning of Morning Shift = 20 mins
Tea Break = 10 mins
Lunch = 30 mins
Evening Tea Break = 10 mins
End of Morning Shift = 20 mins
(handover)
Therefore., the room attendant is there for 450 mins in guest room (540-90).Therefore, mins & each room takes 30 mins to clean. Therefore, the attendant can clean 15 rooms in 450 mins.
(Turndown service) + Cleaning = (7-8 mins actually,10 mins/room)
450/10 =45 rooms/employee
Each employees cleans 45 rooms
5 mins – bed
10-15 mins – rack & carpet
10 mins – bathroom
Planning is probably the Executive Housekeepers most important management function. Without proper planning each day may present one prices after other. Since the Housekeeping is responsible for cleaning & maintaining so many different areas of the hotel. Planning should be undertaken in a systematic manner in order to obtain set objectives. Certain documents are essential & they are:
#Area Inventory List (AIL) : Planning the work of the Housekeeping Department begins with creating an inventory list of all items within each area that will need Housekeeping attention . Since most properties offered several different types of guestrooms, separate inventory list may be needed for guest room type . When preparing the guestroom ‘AIL’, it is a good idea to follow the same system that room attendant will use as their sequence of cleaning task & that supervisor will use in the course of their inspection.
Eg. Area within a guestroom may appear on an inventory list as they are found from right to left & from top to bottom around the room.
#Frequency Schedule : It indicates how often items on inventory list are to be cleaned. Items that must be cleaned on a daily or weekly basis become a part of a routine cleaning cycle and are incorporated into standard work procedures. Other items which must be cleaned, monthly or less frequently are inspected on a daily basis but they become part of a spring cleaning programme & are scheduled special cleaning projects.
#Performance Standard : They are required levels of performance that establish the quality of work that must be done according to the expectations of the property. The key to consistency in service is the performance standards which the Executive Housekeeper develops, daily inspections & periodic performance. Evaluation should follow up with specific on the job coaching & re-training. This ensures that all employees are consistently performing their tasks in the most efficient & effective manner.
# Productivity standards : (Refer previous example) It determines the quality of work to be done by department employees. Productivity standards must be determined in order to staff the department within the limitation with the hotel operating budget plans. Housekeeping Managers must know how long it should take a room attendant to perform the major cleaning tasks identified on the cleaning frequency schedules such as guestroom cleaning. Once this information is known, productivity standards can be developed, performance & productivity standard should be carefully balanced. If the quality expectation are set too high, the quantity of work that could be done may be low.
#Recycled & non recycled inventories: The Executive Housekeeper is responsible for 2 types of inventories. 1) Recycled inventory : It includes linen equipments & some guest supplies like extra bed, iron ,etc. The no. of recycled items that must be on hand to ensure smooth operations is expressed as a ‘PAR’. It refers to the standard number of items that must be on hand to support daily routine housekeeping operations eg. One par of linen is the total number of items needed to outfit all the hotel guestrooms once. Most sister hotels would on a ‘four-par’ of guest rooms linen (guestroom, floor pantry, laundry & linen). 2) Non-recycled inventory : They include cleaning supplies, guestroom supplies, guest-amenities like toothbrush, hair-conditioner,etc. They are used up during routine activities of the housekeeping department. A purchasing ordering for non recycled inventory items established a ‘par’ no. based on 2 figures i.e Maximum & minimum quantities.Tge minimum quantity is the least amount at which reordering is done taking into consideration the lead time (it is time taken by the supplier to convey goods from the time the order is placed).The maximum quantity is the amount ordered.
Guest room Inspectitions
Guest room inspection.
1. Bedroom:
i. Procedure.
Check guest room entrance door.
Note any scratch marks, sumdy or dirt/dust on surface.
Check for ‘DO NOT DISTURB’ sign on inside knob of the door.
Check proper operation of locks, chains and door stops.
ii. Check condition and cleanliness of light switches and surrounding wall area.
iii. Scan ceiling, walls, woodwork for any damage, dirt/dust.
iv. Check curtains for stains, check that hooks are in place and the rods work correctly.
v. Check window sills window for cleanliness, make sure windows are locked and that locks work properly.
vi. Make sure heating and air-conditioning unit is free from dirt and dust, operates correctly and the temperature is set according to property standards.
vii. Make sure telephone is clean and works properly.
viii. Check the bed
Make sure that the bed has fresh lineu.
Check condition of the bed spread and check the edges of the bed.
Look under the bed for trash or guest item.
Check head board for the dust.
ix. Check room furniture for scratches damage and dust check upholstery for stains.
x. Check lamps for starches and dust. Make sure light bulbs are of proper voltage.
xi. Turn –on television set to check for proper operation, turn-off and check for scratches , damage and dust.
xii. Check carpets and bade oafs or skirting boards for dirt, stain and dust.
xiii. Check that wardrobes are clean and have the proper anonym of hangers.
xiv. Check pictures and mirrors for dust,
xv. Check that bedroom amenities such as stationary and match-boxes are properly stacked.
xvi. Make a final check around the room to make sure that all items are well positioned and that all areas ceiling to the floor are cleaned and well maintained.
xvii. Complete a work order request and/or notifying the appropriated department for any item needing attention or repair.
BATHROOM
Procedure
i. Check bathroom door for scratches, marks or dust in the surface
ii. Check condition and cleanliness of light switches and surrounding wall area.
iii. Scan ceiling, walls and tiles for any damage, dirt and dust.
iv. Check shower area check tub and fixtures for watermarks, soap films and hair.
v. Check fixtures for correct position and operation.
Make sure bath not is in place.
vi. Inspect vanity and sink area
Check sink and counter area for watermarks, soap film and hair.
Check mirror for spots.
vii. Check toilet for cleanliness, flush to check for proper operation.
viii. Check floor and base board for dirt and dust.
ix. Make sure that towels are neat and cleanly arranged on towels racks.
x. Check toilet and facial issue and supply.
xi. Check that bathroom amenities such as soap, shampoo and mouth wash are properly stacked.
xii. Make a final check of bathroom to make sure all items are well positioned and that all areas from ceiling to floor are clean
xiii. Complete the work order request and/or notify the appropriate dept. for any item needing attention or repair.
ENVIRONMENT AWARENESS IN THE HOPITALITY INDUSTRY
The IHEI (International hotel Environmental Initiative) was founded in 1992 by 10 multinational hotel groups. The main objective was to :-
1. Raise environmental awareness in the hotel industry
2. Development of hotels specific to environmental information enabling hotels of all sizes to implement environmental programs
3. Promote the hotel sector to position itself as a leader in sustainable development within the tourism industry.
The 3 major basic principles of environmental conservation are –
1. Reduce: use less resource – leads to immediate cost savings.
2. Reuse: eg – laundry bags, washable napkins, rechargeable batteries
3. Recycle: eg – papers, bottles etc.
Following eco-friendly products can be used in hotels –
• Civil Work:
1. QED wall panels(Quite Easily Done) – It is used for internal partitions. Material is 4 inches thick per block and is made from fertilizer waste – terulite and vermin proof and is fire resistant.
2. Siporex – Used for external walls. It is completely inorganic, totally incombustible and offers twice the fire protection of concrete. As strong as R.C.C. but 1/4th its weight. Saves 30-40% cement and 35-50% steel compared to ordinary R.C.C.
3. Key Stone Kool Desk – Used around the swimming pool – a concrete desk surfacing material which lowers surface temperature and is completely non – skid.
• Plumbing:
1. Aerators/Flow Restrictors: Used in all taps and showers which will reduce water usage by restricting water flow
2. Sewage treatment plant: The waste water is treated and recycled for use in air-conditioning and gardening purposes.
3. Stockosorb Super Absorbent Polymer: Used for landscaping and gardening purposes. Specifically designed to improve the capability of soil to hold water and plant nutrient. It reduces the amount, frequency of watering required – it is non-toxic, environmentally safe and does not contaminate plants, soil and groundwater.
4. The Geberit Concealed Cistern for W.C.: it has a unique water-saving system which uses 6 lit of waters per flush(the conventional flush uses approx 15-20 lit of water).
5. Geberit Urinal Flush Valve: it ensures a definite flushing after every use as it is activated by infra-red sensor(the time set flushing system works irrespective of usage or not leading to water wastage)
Green Guest Rooms
1. Rubber wood: Processed and upgraded recycled wood – used for furniture and window frames
2. Nuwud MDF(Medium Density Fibrewood): Used for interior made from recycled waste wood.
3. Hangers: made from pressed particle board.
4. Eco-Directory: placed in a guest room, making the guest aware of the hotel’s environment awareness programs, it is energy saving program and how the guest can preserve the environment. Eco-tips and eco facts are also provided.
5. Hotel uses herbal products for guest amenities and soaps, shampoos, moisturizers etc.
6. Cloth laundry bags are used and newspapers are delivered in cane baskets
7. A Control Panel – known as green button is installed on the bedside table. The thermostat of the AC unit is stepped up by 20% saving in electricity. This is translated in rupee terms and displayed on the guest folio and profile
8. Eco Harvest: Basket containing of herbal pillow placed under the pillow to give sound sleep. Two aromatic oils and a bunch of neem sticks and 5 herbs.
9. Pen/Pencil: Eco-pens are made using recycled cardboard, reprocessed plastic and scrap wood.
10. Stationery: made from hand-made paper or recycled paper.
11. Eco-friendly slippers used in guest-rooms made from natural materials like jute.
12. Recycled Bin: placed in guest rooms with a sticker for guest use.
13. Guest Bathrooms: Glasses are placed upside-down – avoiding the use of plastic wrappers. Guests are requested in occupied rooms to reuse the towels. Soap dispensers are used near wash basins. The toilets have an option of water spray or toilet paper mae from recycled fibre upto 69%.
14. Photo Electric Controls for Lighting: These are sensitive to natural daylight and suitable for entrance light and corridor light as soon as daylight is adequate.
15. Heat pumps: the heat generated from AC can be used to heat the water used in kitchen and laundry.
16. Paints: the paints for the exterior of the hotel is water based paint with negligible V.O.C (volatile organic compound) contant of only 0.125% and the paint used for interiors has zero VOC content. If the VOC content of the paint is high it emits fumes which are harmful to the environment.
17. Cut flowers v/s potted flowers: rooms should have natural plants, with use of cut flowers to a minimum for few flower arrangement put in public area only.
DAILY ROUTINE OF HOUSEKEEPING DEPARTMENT AND ROLE OF THE FLOOR SUPERVISOR
There are generally 3 shifts in HK dept.:
1) Morning Shift(7am-4 am):In the morning shift, the major cleaning of all guest rooms is done and general cleaning of public areas.
2) Afternoon Shift(1pm-10pm)/(3pm-12am):Turn down service is given to guest rooms, second service if required, departure room clearance is done by the second shift and public area functional areas are checked.
3) Night Shift (10pm-7am):Thorough cleaning of public areas is carried out.
THE ROLE OF THE FLOOR SUPERVISOR
The floor supervisors have an overall responsibility for the floors allotted to them. They are responsible not only for maintaining hygiene and cleanliness but also responsible for work force like GRA and houseman for their work and overall behavior. While working they also deal with guest complaints and requests demonstrating the following qualities:
1. Patience
2. Diplomacy
3. Presence of mind
4. Eye for details
5. Honesty
They should be prompt enough to attend to these in such a way that there is quick and effective solution. At the same time they carry out the task of training their subordinates in various standards of work. Also they train and brief the GRAs and houseman about use of various equipments and cleaning agents, safety and security, inculcate qualities like punctuality, etiquettes and manners while dealing with the guest. It is a job of middle management personnel. They report to their senior authority i.e. assistant housekeeper floor, deputy housekeeper.
Each floor supervisor is usually responsible for 50-60 rooms. Thus he/she is responsible for 1 or a maximum of 3 floors.
The staff enters the hotel premises through the time office in order to punch in their time cards. Each floor supervisor then collects the room status information sent by the front office to the house keeping. It states the early morning expected arrivals and departures of the day, group check ins/ check outs of the day, VIP inhouse guests. Any special request for extra bed, baby cots etc should be noted. Any supplies due to be returned from the check out rooms that day should be noted. The floor supervisor also finds out about the GRA working under her, goes through the duty roster. She checks the logbook for various messages regarding her floor. At the end she signs the key register, proceeds to the floor taking the necessary floor keys.
On the floor, the floor supervisor also helps to keep a check on the movement of the staff working under her. She checks the uniform of the room attendants, briefs them on the special cleaning tasks of the day and gives them the complementaries and supplies required for the guestroom. It is noted in the housekeeper day book or staff placement register. The book serves as an attendance register and is kept with the desk supervisor to help him/her to page the staff if required for any reason. Depending on the allocation of the section, pass keys(section/floor master keys) are collected and signed in the register. The room assignment sheet is given to the room attendant who is expected to fill while cleaning the room. The floor supervisor then records the first room occupancy at about 8:30 am. This also gives her an opportunity to check the corridors, elevator areas, fire exits and service area. It is also simultaneously recorded in the floor register.The physical occupancy report is submitted to the desk housekeeper who in turn prepares room status reports and passes the same to the front office for the necessary action.
While taking the occupancy , the floor supervisor checks the rooms taking the physical check of each room on a floor.She checks the occupied room for the number of guest present in the room.If the supervisor does not see any guest then the number of beds being used, clothes of the guest, sizes of shoes, number of toothbrushes are taken as indicators to decide number of guest present in the room. Additional information like sleep outs ,scanty baggage, guests who have packed their bags and relevant room number which does not feature in the expected departure list is also highlighted so that the front office can check with the guest if he is planning to cut down stay. A discrepancy report is made by the front office staff and is handed over to the senor authorities for execution of necessary action. The floor supervisor in big hotels has to check the room at least once every day. This report is made thrice a day, one in the morning at 8:30am,12:pm and one in the afternoon before 4:00pm.The room occupancy report is made in triplicate, one copy is given to the front office cashier, second copy to the reception and the third copy is retained with the housekeeping for their reference. The room occupancy report is then cross checked and compared with the front office department and the discrepancy report is made by the front office. The duty manager is informed accordingly for the necessary action.
Computerized status system: the problem in reporting housekeeping status to the front office can be eliminated when the computer system is directly connected to guestroom telephone with such a network that a floor supervisor can inspect guestrooms. Determine their readiness for sale and then enter a designated code on the room telephone to change the room status in the hotel’s computer system. This procedure can reduce not only number of guest forced to wait for the room assignment but also decreases the length of their wait.
FORMAT OF ROOM OCCUPANCY/STATUS REPORT
Room Occupancy Report
1st Floor
2nd Floor
Room no.
Code/Status
No. of guests
Room no.
Code/Status
No. of guests
101
Dep.
-
201
DL
-
102
V
-
202
O,SB
2
103
O
2+1
203
O,SO
_____________Signature of the desk housekeeper
The desired results of an established cleaning system are best achieved only when a guest room inspection is done. This serves the purpose of rectifying any problems that may have been previously overlooked during cleaning, before the guest notices. Room inspection not only helps to identify ordinary problems with cleaning but also helps to identify areas requiring special cleaning or maintenance.
An Inspection programme can be done in various forms. In some properties especially in smaller properties, occupied rooms are spot checked while the departure rooms are definitely checked daily.
Each floor supervisor is usually responsible for a certain number of rooms (45-60) and must be aware of the current status of each room that is assigned to her/him. The room is checked to ensure :
1) Correct standard of cleanliness has been maintained.
2) For any technical repairs(if any)
3) Correct room complementaries and adequate guest supplies have been provided.
A room inspection report or a check list should be completed by the floor supervisor who notes down the condition and proper operations of various fixtures of the room. It is also simultaneously recorded in the floor register so that a continuous record is maintained. An inspection programme is not effective if no follow up is given to an identified problem. Depending on the hotel procedures the floor supervisor is responsible for filling out work orders or maintenance request that are needed. The work order or job order is made in triplicate. Two copies (the original and the duplicate) are given to the maintenance engineer. The third remaining copy remains with the housekeeping department. The maintenance engineer hands over both the copies to the concerned technician who is required to attend to the complaint. The technician goes to the respective floor and asks the floor supervisor or GRA to open the concerned room. He then attends to the complaint and signs on both the work orders, writes the time and date against work completed. He takes acknowledgement from the floor supervisor. He hands over the original copy to the housekeeping department and the duplicate copy to the maintenance department. The copy given to the floor supervisor is then given to the desk housekeeper who files it in the work order files. At the end of the day a report is made by the desk housekeeper about complaints attended to in the day, that are to be followed up the next day, major maintenance complaints that can be attended to only by taking the rooms on O-O-O status. Thus the original copy is retained by the maintenance department for its future reference.
Inspection Programme Technology: (Guest Room Inspection)
A barcode is a group of printed bars, spaces and numerals that appear on the packaging of every retail item. These codes are to be scanned and read into a computer system. Each guest room is identified with a barcode tag. The tag is placed in a secret spot such as behind the door frame. The floor supervisor is given a barcode scanner and a set of carde that will feature condition of each item that needs to be inspected, attended or repaired. On entering the room, the supervisor scans the barcode tag this will now record the room number, time and date in the scanner. The condition of each inspected item is noted by scanning the proper barcode. Depending on the programme and the property’s needs, the information can be presented in a summary or report format with an overview of the condition of each inspected items.
Room Inspection Report/Checklist
Date:20/12/04
Room boy: James Bond Floor : 7
Dep #s : 701,702, 705.
Vac #s :703, 706, 707.
Occ #s : 704.
VIP #s: 706
Room no:
Status
Extra item provided
Electrical
Carpentry
Plumbing
Polishing
Carpet Cleaning
707
V
A.C. not working
ü
704
O
Extra bed
ü
701
Dep
ü
___________ Signature of Supervisor
Discrepancy Report: (made by front office)
Discrepancy Report
Date:13/12/2009 Time:15:45
Room no.
Status as per Front Office
Status as per Housekeeping
Action taken
101
O
O,SB
Informed D.M(duty manager) and security
102
C/O
VNR
-
Guest Room Inspection:
A supervisor has to check all the rooms on his/her floor, including all vacant room, departure room, expected arrival, VIP arrival, group arrival, blocked rooms and under repair rooms both out of service and out of order. After the end of the shift the floor supervisor has to take hand over from the GRA and make the entry in the floor register. The supervisor has to make the entry of all the DND, R/S, L/S on the floor.
The supervisor has to take the handover of lost and found from the GRA for the day. Before coming to the department the supervisor has to check the floor pantry, guest elevator, and service elevator, back-area of the floor, all fire exit and corridor. The supervisor has to check the floor pantry and has to take the count of all the items in the pantry like all loan item (iron board, hot water bag, water flask, weighing machine, etc) and make an entry in the floor register. After that the supervisor has to fill the log book kept in the department. The supervisor has to make an entry of all the rooms checked by him for the day. The supervisor has to fill the key register, hand over register. The supervisor has to hand-over the lost and found and keys to the desk attendant/supervisor before leaving for the day.
While dealing with the guest the floor supervisor comes across various complaints made by guests during their stay. The nature of these complaints is:
1) Technical / mechanical complaints: these are various complaints which include maintenance related problems eg AC not working, the job of the supervisor is not only to pass on these complaints but also to get them attended as early as possible.
2) Service related complaints: they are complaints related to inefficient working or cleanliness standards of the GRA. She briefs the GRA accordingly and attends to the complaint as soon as possible.
3) Attitude related problems: these imply problems regarding the behavior of the GRA which may require counseling ,
4) Unusual complaints: these imply undue demands made by the guest and also bad guest behavior.
5) Complaints like missing items from the room after the room is cleaned by the GRA which calls for alertness, investigation and involvement of seniors.
Communication System Used In Housekeeping Department
1. Telephone: Most common mode of communication in the hotel.
Advantages:
a) Quick contacts
b) Tow-way communication but can not be used for formal communication as there is no proof of what what has been said.
c) No extra labour.
Disadvanages: Distributing to the guest when used on guest floors or public area.
2. Written Memo:
Advantages: Used for formal communication as a proof is available of the document sent.
Disadvantages:
a) Time consuming as it may have to go through several channels before it reaches the concerned person.
b) One-way communication hence no clarification is possible.
c) Space required for stoppage of documents.
3. Pagers: Each pager has a particular number which is activated either by the telephone operator or the main office of the concerned person . When activated, it makes the sound ,the person inactivates the sound & contact the telephone number displayed on the screen.
4. Electronic room status indicator: There are two terminals, one at reception and other at the house-keeping. It works on a system of lights ; against each room number. There are three lights which signifies -
a) Green light – vacant room.
b) Red light – departure room.
c) white light – occupied room.
The reception can change the lights according to the occupancy of the rooms.
For the house-keeping office, number of lights can be changed. One can only view the status of the rooms at a glance. After the departure room has been cleaned,the room attendant inserts the sub-section is an master key into a key provided ,this changes the red light to a flashing light which is an indication that the floor supervisor has to check the room and then clear it to the reception.
5.Computer system: A terminal can be installed in the house - keeping office which is linked to a terminal like reception and the main computer in the control room. The reception can change from vacant to occupied. Front office cashier can change the status of rooms from occupied to departure and the house-keeping can change from departure to vacant.If the hotel has POS(point of sale). The individual outlets would be able to update the guest folios whenever they avail of credit facilities from their outlets. Any correction of billing would have to be made by front office cashier only.
Additional notes on work order
The floor supervisor informs the desk h/k about the maintenance jobs to be attended to which the desk h/k writes in the maintenance register and makes a work order in triplicate. The original copy is kept in the maintenance file with the desk house keeper and the other two go to the maintenance department. The maintenance engg, gives both these copies to the technician who is required to attend to this complaint. The technician proceeds to the respective floor and informs the GRA and opens the room & both the copies of work order are signed. After the work is done, the technician fills up the date and time against the work completed. One of these copies is given to the GRA/supervisor which is filed into maintenance report file. The other copy goes to the maintenance dept. for reference.
AT YOUR SERVICE DESK:
Nowadays, there is a new trend of At Your Service Desk(AYS) which caters to various guest requests and complaints e.g. second service, AC not working, movie tickets, etc.
Note Imp. Points:
Room occupancy report is prepared by floor supervisor whereas Room Status report is prepared by Desk housekeeper
Refer to notes for all Forms and Formats
Front of the house functional areas of hotel: Are areas in which the employees have extensive guest contact like FnB facilities and the front office
Back of the house functional areas of hotel in which employees have little or no guest contact such as engg. and maintenanence dept., laundry and so on.
Example of productive standard worksheet:
Total Shift Time = 9 hrs X 60 mins = 540 mins.
Beginning of Morning Shift = 20 mins
Tea Break = 10 mins
Lunch = 30 mins
Evening Tea Break = 10 mins
End of Morning Shift = 20 mins
(handover)
Therefore., the room attendant is there for 450 mins in guest room (540-90).Therefore, mins & each room takes 30 mins to clean. Therefore, the attendant can clean 15 rooms in 450 mins.
(Turndown service) + Cleaning = (7-8 mins actually,10 mins/room)
450/10 =45 rooms/employee
Each employees cleans 45 rooms
5 mins – bed
10-15 mins – rack & carpet
10 mins – bathroom
Planning is probably the Executive Housekeepers most important management function. Without proper planning each day may present one prices after other. Since the Housekeeping is responsible for cleaning & maintaining so many different areas of the hotel. Planning should be undertaken in a systematic manner in order to obtain set objectives. Certain documents are essential & they are:
#Area Inventory List (AIL) : Planning the work of the Housekeeping Department begins with creating an inventory list of all items within each area that will need Housekeeping attention . Since most properties offered several different types of guestrooms, separate inventory list may be needed for guest room type . When preparing the guestroom ‘AIL’, it is a good idea to follow the same system that room attendant will use as their sequence of cleaning task & that supervisor will use in the course of their inspection.
Eg. Area within a guestroom may appear on an inventory list as they are found from right to left & from top to bottom around the room.
#Frequency Schedule : It indicates how often items on inventory list are to be cleaned. Items that must be cleaned on a daily or weekly basis become a part of a routine cleaning cycle and are incorporated into standard work procedures. Other items which must be cleaned, monthly or less frequently are inspected on a daily basis but they become part of a spring cleaning programme & are scheduled special cleaning projects.
#Performance Standard : They are required levels of performance that establish the quality of work that must be done according to the expectations of the property. The key to consistency in service is the performance standards which the Executive Housekeeper develops, daily inspections & periodic performance. Evaluation should follow up with specific on the job coaching & re-training. This ensures that all employees are consistently performing their tasks in the most efficient & effective manner.
# Productivity standards : (Refer previous example) It determines the quality of work to be done by department employees. Productivity standards must be determined in order to staff the department within the limitation with the hotel operating budget plans. Housekeeping Managers must know how long it should take a room attendant to perform the major cleaning tasks identified on the cleaning frequency schedules such as guestroom cleaning. Once this information is known, productivity standards can be developed, performance & productivity standard should be carefully balanced. If the quality expectation are set too high, the quantity of work that could be done may be low.
#Recycled & non recycled inventories: The Executive Housekeeper is responsible for 2 types of inventories. 1) Recycled inventory : It includes linen equipments & some guest supplies like extra bed, iron ,etc. The no. of recycled items that must be on hand to ensure smooth operations is expressed as a ‘PAR’. It refers to the standard number of items that must be on hand to support daily routine housekeeping operations eg. One par of linen is the total number of items needed to outfit all the hotel guestrooms once. Most sister hotels would on a ‘four-par’ of guest rooms linen (guestroom, floor pantry, laundry & linen). 2) Non-recycled inventory : They include cleaning supplies, guestroom supplies, guest-amenities like toothbrush, hair-conditioner,etc. They are used up during routine activities of the housekeeping department. A purchasing ordering for non recycled inventory items established a ‘par’ no. based on 2 figures i.e Maximum & minimum quantities.Tge minimum quantity is the least amount at which reordering is done taking into consideration the lead time (it is time taken by the supplier to convey goods from the time the order is placed).The maximum quantity is the amount ordered.
Guest room Inspectitions
Guest room inspection.
1. Bedroom:
i. Procedure.
Check guest room entrance door.
Note any scratch marks, sumdy or dirt/dust on surface.
Check for ‘DO NOT DISTURB’ sign on inside knob of the door.
Check proper operation of locks, chains and door stops.
ii. Check condition and cleanliness of light switches and surrounding wall area.
iii. Scan ceiling, walls, woodwork for any damage, dirt/dust.
iv. Check curtains for stains, check that hooks are in place and the rods work correctly.
v. Check window sills window for cleanliness, make sure windows are locked and that locks work properly.
vi. Make sure heating and air-conditioning unit is free from dirt and dust, operates correctly and the temperature is set according to property standards.
vii. Make sure telephone is clean and works properly.
viii. Check the bed
Make sure that the bed has fresh lineu.
Check condition of the bed spread and check the edges of the bed.
Look under the bed for trash or guest item.
Check head board for the dust.
ix. Check room furniture for scratches damage and dust check upholstery for stains.
x. Check lamps for starches and dust. Make sure light bulbs are of proper voltage.
xi. Turn –on television set to check for proper operation, turn-off and check for scratches , damage and dust.
xii. Check carpets and bade oafs or skirting boards for dirt, stain and dust.
xiii. Check that wardrobes are clean and have the proper anonym of hangers.
xiv. Check pictures and mirrors for dust,
xv. Check that bedroom amenities such as stationary and match-boxes are properly stacked.
xvi. Make a final check around the room to make sure that all items are well positioned and that all areas ceiling to the floor are cleaned and well maintained.
xvii. Complete a work order request and/or notifying the appropriated department for any item needing attention or repair.
BATHROOM
Procedure
i. Check bathroom door for scratches, marks or dust in the surface
ii. Check condition and cleanliness of light switches and surrounding wall area.
iii. Scan ceiling, walls and tiles for any damage, dirt and dust.
iv. Check shower area check tub and fixtures for watermarks, soap films and hair.
v. Check fixtures for correct position and operation.
Make sure bath not is in place.
vi. Inspect vanity and sink area
Check sink and counter area for watermarks, soap film and hair.
Check mirror for spots.
vii. Check toilet for cleanliness, flush to check for proper operation.
viii. Check floor and base board for dirt and dust.
ix. Make sure that towels are neat and cleanly arranged on towels racks.
x. Check toilet and facial issue and supply.
xi. Check that bathroom amenities such as soap, shampoo and mouth wash are properly stacked.
xii. Make a final check of bathroom to make sure all items are well positioned and that all areas from ceiling to floor are clean
xiii. Complete the work order request and/or notify the appropriate dept. for any item needing attention or repair.
ENVIRONMENT AWARENESS IN THE HOPITALITY INDUSTRY
The IHEI (International hotel Environmental Initiative) was founded in 1992 by 10 multinational hotel groups. The main objective was to :-
1. Raise environmental awareness in the hotel industry
2. Development of hotels specific to environmental information enabling hotels of all sizes to implement environmental programs
3. Promote the hotel sector to position itself as a leader in sustainable development within the tourism industry.
The 3 major basic principles of environmental conservation are –
1. Reduce: use less resource – leads to immediate cost savings.
2. Reuse: eg – laundry bags, washable napkins, rechargeable batteries
3. Recycle: eg – papers, bottles etc.
Following eco-friendly products can be used in hotels –
• Civil Work:
1. QED wall panels(Quite Easily Done) – It is used for internal partitions. Material is 4 inches thick per block and is made from fertilizer waste – terulite and vermin proof and is fire resistant.
2. Siporex – Used for external walls. It is completely inorganic, totally incombustible and offers twice the fire protection of concrete. As strong as R.C.C. but 1/4th its weight. Saves 30-40% cement and 35-50% steel compared to ordinary R.C.C.
3. Key Stone Kool Desk – Used around the swimming pool – a concrete desk surfacing material which lowers surface temperature and is completely non – skid.
• Plumbing:
1. Aerators/Flow Restrictors: Used in all taps and showers which will reduce water usage by restricting water flow
2. Sewage treatment plant: The waste water is treated and recycled for use in air-conditioning and gardening purposes.
3. Stockosorb Super Absorbent Polymer: Used for landscaping and gardening purposes. Specifically designed to improve the capability of soil to hold water and plant nutrient. It reduces the amount, frequency of watering required – it is non-toxic, environmentally safe and does not contaminate plants, soil and groundwater.
4. The Geberit Concealed Cistern for W.C.: it has a unique water-saving system which uses 6 lit of waters per flush(the conventional flush uses approx 15-20 lit of water).
5. Geberit Urinal Flush Valve: it ensures a definite flushing after every use as it is activated by infra-red sensor(the time set flushing system works irrespective of usage or not leading to water wastage)
Green Guest Rooms
1. Rubber wood: Processed and upgraded recycled wood – used for furniture and window frames
2. Nuwud MDF(Medium Density Fibrewood): Used for interior made from recycled waste wood.
3. Hangers: made from pressed particle board.
4. Eco-Directory: placed in a guest room, making the guest aware of the hotel’s environment awareness programs, it is energy saving program and how the guest can preserve the environment. Eco-tips and eco facts are also provided.
5. Hotel uses herbal products for guest amenities and soaps, shampoos, moisturizers etc.
6. Cloth laundry bags are used and newspapers are delivered in cane baskets
7. A Control Panel – known as green button is installed on the bedside table. The thermostat of the AC unit is stepped up by 20% saving in electricity. This is translated in rupee terms and displayed on the guest folio and profile
8. Eco Harvest: Basket containing of herbal pillow placed under the pillow to give sound sleep. Two aromatic oils and a bunch of neem sticks and 5 herbs.
9. Pen/Pencil: Eco-pens are made using recycled cardboard, reprocessed plastic and scrap wood.
10. Stationery: made from hand-made paper or recycled paper.
11. Eco-friendly slippers used in guest-rooms made from natural materials like jute.
12. Recycled Bin: placed in guest rooms with a sticker for guest use.
13. Guest Bathrooms: Glasses are placed upside-down – avoiding the use of plastic wrappers. Guests are requested in occupied rooms to reuse the towels. Soap dispensers are used near wash basins. The toilets have an option of water spray or toilet paper mae from recycled fibre upto 69%.
14. Photo Electric Controls for Lighting: These are sensitive to natural daylight and suitable for entrance light and corridor light as soon as daylight is adequate.
15. Heat pumps: the heat generated from AC can be used to heat the water used in kitchen and laundry.
16. Paints: the paints for the exterior of the hotel is water based paint with negligible V.O.C (volatile organic compound) contant of only 0.125% and the paint used for interiors has zero VOC content. If the VOC content of the paint is high it emits fumes which are harmful to the environment.
17. Cut flowers v/s potted flowers: rooms should have natural plants, with use of cut flowers to a minimum for few flower arrangement put in public area only.
DAILY ROUTINE OF HOUSEKEEPING DEPARTMENT AND ROLE OF THE FLOOR SUPERVISOR
There are generally 3 shifts in HK dept.:
1) Morning Shift(7am-4 am):In the morning shift, the major cleaning of all guest rooms is done and general cleaning of public areas.
2) Afternoon Shift(1pm-10pm)/(3pm-12am):Turn down service is given to guest rooms, second service if required, departure room clearance is done by the second shift and public area functional areas are checked.
3) Night Shift (10pm-7am):Thorough cleaning of public areas is carried out.
THE ROLE OF THE FLOOR SUPERVISOR
The floor supervisors have an overall responsibility for the floors allotted to them. They are responsible not only for maintaining hygiene and cleanliness but also responsible for work force like GRA and houseman for their work and overall behavior. While working they also deal with guest complaints and requests demonstrating the following qualities:
1. Patience
2. Diplomacy
3. Presence of mind
4. Eye for details
5. Honesty
They should be prompt enough to attend to these in such a way that there is quick and effective solution. At the same time they carry out the task of training their subordinates in various standards of work. Also they train and brief the GRAs and houseman about use of various equipments and cleaning agents, safety and security, inculcate qualities like punctuality, etiquettes and manners while dealing with the guest. It is a job of middle management personnel. They report to their senior authority i.e. assistant housekeeper floor, deputy housekeeper.
Each floor supervisor is usually responsible for 50-60 rooms. Thus he/she is responsible for 1 or a maximum of 3 floors.
The staff enters the hotel premises through the time office in order to punch in their time cards. Each floor supervisor then collects the room status information sent by the front office to the house keeping. It states the early morning expected arrivals and departures of the day, group check ins/ check outs of the day, VIP inhouse guests. Any special request for extra bed, baby cots etc should be noted. Any supplies due to be returned from the check out rooms that day should be noted. The floor supervisor also finds out about the GRA working under her, goes through the duty roster. She checks the logbook for various messages regarding her floor. At the end she signs the key register, proceeds to the floor taking the necessary floor keys.
On the floor, the floor supervisor also helps to keep a check on the movement of the staff working under her. She checks the uniform of the room attendants, briefs them on the special cleaning tasks of the day and gives them the complementaries and supplies required for the guestroom. It is noted in the housekeeper day book or staff placement register. The book serves as an attendance register and is kept with the desk supervisor to help him/her to page the staff if required for any reason. Depending on the allocation of the section, pass keys(section/floor master keys) are collected and signed in the register. The room assignment sheet is given to the room attendant who is expected to fill while cleaning the room. The floor supervisor then records the first room occupancy at about 8:30 am. This also gives her an opportunity to check the corridors, elevator areas, fire exits and service area. It is also simultaneously recorded in the floor register.The physical occupancy report is submitted to the desk housekeeper who in turn prepares room status reports and passes the same to the front office for the necessary action.
While taking the occupancy , the floor supervisor checks the rooms taking the physical check of each room on a floor.She checks the occupied room for the number of guest present in the room.If the supervisor does not see any guest then the number of beds being used, clothes of the guest, sizes of shoes, number of toothbrushes are taken as indicators to decide number of guest present in the room. Additional information like sleep outs ,scanty baggage, guests who have packed their bags and relevant room number which does not feature in the expected departure list is also highlighted so that the front office can check with the guest if he is planning to cut down stay. A discrepancy report is made by the front office staff and is handed over to the senor authorities for execution of necessary action. The floor supervisor in big hotels has to check the room at least once every day. This report is made thrice a day, one in the morning at 8:30am,12:pm and one in the afternoon before 4:00pm.The room occupancy report is made in triplicate, one copy is given to the front office cashier, second copy to the reception and the third copy is retained with the housekeeping for their reference. The room occupancy report is then cross checked and compared with the front office department and the discrepancy report is made by the front office. The duty manager is informed accordingly for the necessary action.
Computerized status system: the problem in reporting housekeeping status to the front office can be eliminated when the computer system is directly connected to guestroom telephone with such a network that a floor supervisor can inspect guestrooms. Determine their readiness for sale and then enter a designated code on the room telephone to change the room status in the hotel’s computer system. This procedure can reduce not only number of guest forced to wait for the room assignment but also decreases the length of their wait.
FORMAT OF ROOM OCCUPANCY/STATUS REPORT
Room Occupancy Report
1st Floor
2nd Floor
Room no.
Code/Status
No. of guests
Room no.
Code/Status
No. of guests
101
Dep.
-
201
DL
-
102
V
-
202
O,SB
2
103
O
2+1
203
O,SO
_____________Signature of the desk housekeeper
The desired results of an established cleaning system are best achieved only when a guest room inspection is done. This serves the purpose of rectifying any problems that may have been previously overlooked during cleaning, before the guest notices. Room inspection not only helps to identify ordinary problems with cleaning but also helps to identify areas requiring special cleaning or maintenance.
An Inspection programme can be done in various forms. In some properties especially in smaller properties, occupied rooms are spot checked while the departure rooms are definitely checked daily.
Each floor supervisor is usually responsible for a certain number of rooms (45-60) and must be aware of the current status of each room that is assigned to her/him. The room is checked to ensure :
1) Correct standard of cleanliness has been maintained.
2) For any technical repairs(if any)
3) Correct room complementaries and adequate guest supplies have been provided.
A room inspection report or a check list should be completed by the floor supervisor who notes down the condition and proper operations of various fixtures of the room. It is also simultaneously recorded in the floor register so that a continuous record is maintained. An inspection programme is not effective if no follow up is given to an identified problem. Depending on the hotel procedures the floor supervisor is responsible for filling out work orders or maintenance request that are needed. The work order or job order is made in triplicate. Two copies (the original and the duplicate) are given to the maintenance engineer. The third remaining copy remains with the housekeeping department. The maintenance engineer hands over both the copies to the concerned technician who is required to attend to the complaint. The technician goes to the respective floor and asks the floor supervisor or GRA to open the concerned room. He then attends to the complaint and signs on both the work orders, writes the time and date against work completed. He takes acknowledgement from the floor supervisor. He hands over the original copy to the housekeeping department and the duplicate copy to the maintenance department. The copy given to the floor supervisor is then given to the desk housekeeper who files it in the work order files. At the end of the day a report is made by the desk housekeeper about complaints attended to in the day, that are to be followed up the next day, major maintenance complaints that can be attended to only by taking the rooms on O-O-O status. Thus the original copy is retained by the maintenance department for its future reference.
Inspection Programme Technology: (Guest Room Inspection)
A barcode is a group of printed bars, spaces and numerals that appear on the packaging of every retail item. These codes are to be scanned and read into a computer system. Each guest room is identified with a barcode tag. The tag is placed in a secret spot such as behind the door frame. The floor supervisor is given a barcode scanner and a set of carde that will feature condition of each item that needs to be inspected, attended or repaired. On entering the room, the supervisor scans the barcode tag this will now record the room number, time and date in the scanner. The condition of each inspected item is noted by scanning the proper barcode. Depending on the programme and the property’s needs, the information can be presented in a summary or report format with an overview of the condition of each inspected items.
Room Inspection Report/Checklist
Date:20/12/04
Room boy: James Bond Floor : 7
Dep #s : 701,702, 705.
Vac #s :703, 706, 707.
Occ #s : 704.
VIP #s: 706
Room no:
Status
Extra item provided
Electrical
Carpentry
Plumbing
Polishing
Carpet Cleaning
707
V
A.C. not working
ü
704
O
Extra bed
ü
701
Dep
ü
___________ Signature of Supervisor
Discrepancy Report: (made by front office)
Discrepancy Report
Date:13/12/2009 Time:15:45
Room no.
Status as per Front Office
Status as per Housekeeping
Action taken
101
O
O,SB
Informed D.M(duty manager) and security
102
C/O
VNR
-
Guest Room Inspection:
A supervisor has to check all the rooms on his/her floor, including all vacant room, departure room, expected arrival, VIP arrival, group arrival, blocked rooms and under repair rooms both out of service and out of order. After the end of the shift the floor supervisor has to take hand over from the GRA and make the entry in the floor register. The supervisor has to make the entry of all the DND, R/S, L/S on the floor.
The supervisor has to take the handover of lost and found from the GRA for the day. Before coming to the department the supervisor has to check the floor pantry, guest elevator, and service elevator, back-area of the floor, all fire exit and corridor. The supervisor has to check the floor pantry and has to take the count of all the items in the pantry like all loan item (iron board, hot water bag, water flask, weighing machine, etc) and make an entry in the floor register. After that the supervisor has to fill the log book kept in the department. The supervisor has to make an entry of all the rooms checked by him for the day. The supervisor has to fill the key register, hand over register. The supervisor has to hand-over the lost and found and keys to the desk attendant/supervisor before leaving for the day.
While dealing with the guest the floor supervisor comes across various complaints made by guests during their stay. The nature of these complaints is:
1) Technical / mechanical complaints: these are various complaints which include maintenance related problems eg AC not working, the job of the supervisor is not only to pass on these complaints but also to get them attended as early as possible.
2) Service related complaints: they are complaints related to inefficient working or cleanliness standards of the GRA. She briefs the GRA accordingly and attends to the complaint as soon as possible.
3) Attitude related problems: these imply problems regarding the behavior of the GRA which may require counseling ,
4) Unusual complaints: these imply undue demands made by the guest and also bad guest behavior.
5) Complaints like missing items from the room after the room is cleaned by the GRA which calls for alertness, investigation and involvement of seniors.
Communication System Used In Housekeeping Department
1. Telephone: Most common mode of communication in the hotel.
Advantages:
a) Quick contacts
b) Tow-way communication but can not be used for formal communication as there is no proof of what what has been said.
c) No extra labour.
Disadvanages: Distributing to the guest when used on guest floors or public area.
2. Written Memo:
Advantages: Used for formal communication as a proof is available of the document sent.
Disadvantages:
a) Time consuming as it may have to go through several channels before it reaches the concerned person.
b) One-way communication hence no clarification is possible.
c) Space required for stoppage of documents.
3. Pagers: Each pager has a particular number which is activated either by the telephone operator or the main office of the concerned person . When activated, it makes the sound ,the person inactivates the sound & contact the telephone number displayed on the screen.
4. Electronic room status indicator: There are two terminals, one at reception and other at the house-keeping. It works on a system of lights ; against each room number. There are three lights which signifies -
a) Green light – vacant room.
b) Red light – departure room.
c) white light – occupied room.
The reception can change the lights according to the occupancy of the rooms.
For the house-keeping office, number of lights can be changed. One can only view the status of the rooms at a glance. After the departure room has been cleaned,the room attendant inserts the sub-section is an master key into a key provided ,this changes the red light to a flashing light which is an indication that the floor supervisor has to check the room and then clear it to the reception.
5.Computer system: A terminal can be installed in the house - keeping office which is linked to a terminal like reception and the main computer in the control room. The reception can change from vacant to occupied. Front office cashier can change the status of rooms from occupied to departure and the house-keeping can change from departure to vacant.If the hotel has POS(point of sale). The individual outlets would be able to update the guest folios whenever they avail of credit facilities from their outlets. Any correction of billing would have to be made by front office cashier only.
Additional notes on work order
The floor supervisor informs the desk h/k about the maintenance jobs to be attended to which the desk h/k writes in the maintenance register and makes a work order in triplicate. The original copy is kept in the maintenance file with the desk house keeper and the other two go to the maintenance department. The maintenance engg, gives both these copies to the technician who is required to attend to this complaint. The technician proceeds to the respective floor and informs the GRA and opens the room & both the copies of work order are signed. After the work is done, the technician fills up the date and time against the work completed. One of these copies is given to the GRA/supervisor which is filed into maintenance report file. The other copy goes to the maintenance dept. for reference.
AT YOUR SERVICE DESK:
Nowadays, there is a new trend of At Your Service Desk(AYS) which caters to various guest requests and complaints e.g. second service, AC not working, movie tickets, etc.
Note Imp. Points:
Room occupancy report is prepared by floor supervisor whereas Room Status report is prepared by Desk housekeeper
Refer to notes for all Forms and Formats
Front of the house functional areas of hotel: Are areas in which the employees have extensive guest contact like FnB facilities and the front office
Back of the house functional areas of hotel in which employees have little or no guest contact such as engg. and maintenanence dept., laundry and so on.
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
bakery - methods of breadmaking, steps in breadmaking, puff pastry.
BREAD-MAKING METHODS
There are 5 methods of bread-making--------
1. Straight dough method.
2. No-time dough method
3. Delayed salt method.
4. Sponge and dough method.
5. Ferment and dough method.
Straight dough method--------
In this method all the ingredients are mixed together, and the dough is fermented for a predetermined time.
The fermentation time depends on the strength of the flour, strong flours require longer fermentation time to mature adequately.
Flours which require 2 -3 hours for maturing should be used for making bread by straight method.Flours that take very long for maturing should notbe used for straight dough methods because during prolonged fermentationit is diffcult to control the temperatureof the dough and rise in temperature causes acid taste and flavour in bread.
No-time dough method---------
In this method dough is not fermented in the ususal manner. It is allowed to ferment for a short period so the twin function of fermentation ie. production of gas and conditioning of gluten are achieved to some extent by increasing the amount of yeast .
and by making the dough a little slack and warm.
It is possible to get a good product using this method, but the product has poor keeping quality and lacks aroma.Due to short fermentation time, the gluten and starch are not conditioned to hold moisture and there is no flavour because flavour producing bi- products of fermentation are absent.As there is increased quantityof yeast present, the bread may have a strong yeast flavour.
Delayed -salt method--------------
This is a slight variation of the straight method, where all the ingredients are mixed except salt and fat.As salt has a controlling action on the yeast function, the speed of fermentation of a saltless dough will be faster and a reduction in the fermentation time is affected.The salt is added at the knock-back stage.The method of addingd salt depends on the convenience of indiviual bakers.
It may be sifted on the dry dough or it is creamed with fat and incorporated into the dough.
er way is chosen ,only 3/4 mixing is done [of the actual mixing time] and 1/4th is done after salt is added.
This method is suitable for strong flours if straight dough method is used.
Sponge and dough method------------
This method is normally used for strong flours.Sponge doughs are prepared in 2 stages. This procedure give yeast action a head start.
The 1st stage is called a sponge, a yeast starter or a yeast ferment.All mean thesame thing.
In this method, a part of flour, proportionate amount of water,all the yeast and yeast food are mixed together.Mixing operation are carriedout to incirporate all the ingredients evenly. The sponge is fermented fora pre determined time,which on the quality of flour,and the amount of flour in the sponge.
The sponge is then physically tested, by either taking a piece of sponge and try to break it with both hands,.if the piece breaks with a clean fracture then the sponge is ready for mixing If the sponge stretches and breaks unevenly, then some more fermentation time is needed.
Tear the sponge apart with both hands and examine the web structure, if the web structure is very fine then the sponge is ready.
An adequately fermented doughfeels dry to touch without any stickiness present.
When the sponge is ready,it should be broken down properly with the formula water, and mixed with the remaining flour, sugar , salt and fat.After the dough is mixed ,it is rested for 30-40 minutes.Pre-conditioning of the gluten [during the sponge stage ] hastens the conditioing process.
For the sake of identification and convenience, a sponge is indicated as 60/40 or 70/30, where the first number indicates the percentage of flour used in the sponge.
Ferment and Dough Method----------------
This a variation of the sponge and dough method. Rich doughs which contain milk, eggs, substantial amounts of fat and sugar, have a retarding effect on yeast activity. If all the formula yeast,part of the flour. yeast food and sufficient water is mixed together, the yeast get initially an environment which is conducive to vogorous activityand it is in a fit condition to take on the extra load of fermentation in the presence of milk, egg etc.
When the ferment is ready, it is mixed into the dough, along with the remaining ingredients, along with the remaining ingredients and allowed to ferment [second stage]. This method is used in making enriched breads, buns, danish pastry etc.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
]
PUFF PASTRY
Ingredients: -
Refined Flour –
A good patent flour or one of medium gluten strength 13% flour is a structure builder and because of its gluten – forming ability, can dictate the lift.
Too soft a flour will result in a softer dough. The dough will be easier to handle but final volume and flake will be sacrificed.
It the flour is too strong then the dough will be tough to handle and the final product may suffer from shrinkage.
Water: -
It is a rule of thumb that the consistency of the dough should match the consistency of the roll in fat. If the dough is too soft then the layers may be ruptured by the hard fat. If the dough is firm, it will be difficult to roll out. The product may shrink and fat may leak out.
Water also serves as temperature control i.e. it should be cold to maintain firmness of fat.
Salt: -
Salt enhances flavor and also has a toughening effect on the gluten structure.
Acid: -
The addition of an acid improves sheeting ability by lowering the pH and mellowing the gluten. It has no effect on the leavening action.
Fats: -
Two types of fats are used in the production of puff pastry. They each perform a different role.
Fat is added to the dough to modify the dough itself and fat is used as a layering medium to assist in the raising of the puff pastry during baking.
Dough Fat: -
Soft fat may be used in the dough to give better eating quality to the finished product and also aids in the dough’s sheeting ability.
Also it should be noted that as the % of fat increases, volume decreases.
Maximum volume is obtained when 2.5 to 4% fat is used in the dough stage. It should have a melting point of around 33oC - 50oC.
Puff Pastry Shortening: -
This shortening is firm and waxy in nature and is exclusively used to make puffs. Because of its nature, it can be rolled out in smooth continuous sheets between the dough layers.
A melting point between 43oC – 50oC will produce excellent results, but should be high enough to with stand frictional heat to which it is subjected during sheeting and folding operation.
Puff Pastry: -
There are 2 types of puff pastry – Full and Three Quarter. There are three well-known methods of manufacture – English, French and Scotch.
The differences in these types are in the fat contents and in the number of rolls and folds given. Full puff pastry contains flour and fat in equal ratio. While ¾ pastry contains ¾ of fat to each kilo of flour.
The flour that is used in making of puff pastry should be strong, with good quality gluten.
A weak acid such as lemon juice is added. This provides greater extensibility to the gluten
Butter is the best for application as it gives a good flavor. Margarine also can be used but the melting point of margarine has to be lower than the temperature of the human body, otherwise there is a possibility of a thin film of fat remaining on the roof of the mouth after the pastry has been eaten.
The whole purpose of rolling and folding is to build up a structure of alternating layers of dough and fat. This process is known as lamination.
The English method (Three Fold): - (Flaky)
Sieve the flour; rub in 20 gms of butter or margarine. Make a bay or well, add salt and acid and make a dough and allow it to rest. Cream the margarine into a homogenous mass. The dough then rolled into a rectangle about 18” x 6”, the margarine is divided into approx. 3 parts. The first part is evenly distributed to cover 2/3rd of the rolled out dough. The flap of the dough containing no margarine is folded over to cover half of the treated area and then folded over to again cover the last portion. The pastry is given a half turn so that the open ends are parallel to the rolling pin. This process is repeated twice so as to finish all the margarine. Lastly one blindfold is given. The pastry is covered with a damp cloth and allowed to recover from the manipulation for about 30 minutes after each rolling. (7 – 9 layers)
French method: - (Continental Book Fold)
The dough is the same fashion as for the English method. The initial rolling out of the dough is different for it is rolled out to the shape of an open envelope with the four angles slightly thinner than the center.
The chilled margarine/butter is placed in the center of the rolled out square and the envelope is closed by bringing the four angles to the center. After proper relaxation of the dough, it is turned upside down and sheeted into a rectangular shape and folded in a book fold.
Scotch Method: - (Blitz)
This is the quickest way of making puff pastry.
The word is derived from the German word “Blitzen” meaning lightening.
In this method the chilled margarine is mixed into the sieved flour in pieces about the size walnuts. The folding process is a three fold followed by 3 – Four folds, all of which is accomplished in 25 min.
Baking: -
Puff pastry obtains its lifting power through the sealing of moisture in the dough, as heat penetrates the product, the layers of shortening melt and the water in the dough vaporizes and causes the layers to expand. The shortening also helps by holding in these vapors.
The gluten in the dough expands with the pressure of the steam and holds the steam in.
The shortening melts and penetrates the layers of the dough, making it flaky and tender.
The starch then gelatinizes and the proteins coagulate forming a rigid mass. The structure remains firm and flaky.
Oven Temperature: -
Proper oven temperature is important. A temperature of 204oC – 218oC with an even steady heat is very important.
Too low a temperature allows shortening to weep between the layers of dough resulting in poor quality and low volume.
Too high a temperature prematurely seals the piece and results in low volume and raw centers.
Washing: -
Puff pastry pieces are generally washed with an egg wash. Care should be taken to prevent the wash from running down the sides of the pieces while brushing the top. The eggs will coagulate with the heat of the oven, seal the sides and prevent the pastry from rising evenly. (Poor Volume)
Reasons for imperfect Pastry: -
• Puff pastry shrinks: -
1. Oven too hot
2. Not resting the dough before rolling out.
3. Not resting products before being baked.
4. Use of scrap dough.
5. Dough too soft.
• Puff Lacks Volume: -
1. Too many folds.
2. Not enough folds.
3. Use of scrap dough.
4. Dull cutters.
5. Cold oven.
6. Shortening too soft.
7. Flour too strong.
• Fat Runs Out: -
1. Dough not folded enough.
2. Oven is too cold.
3. Warm pans are used.
4. Melting point of fat is too low.
Steps in Bread-making
There are 12 stepsin bread-making. These steps are applied to all yeast products,with variations depending ona particularproduct.
The steps are--
1. Scaling of ingredients.
2. Mixing.
3. Fermentation.
4.Punching.
5 Scaling of the dough.
6.Rounding.
7.Intermediate proving/ Benching.
8.Moulding/ Panning.
9.Proofing.
10.Baking.
11.Cooling.
12.Storing.
Scaling of ingredients----------
All ingredients must be weighed accurately. Water, egg, milk must be measured by volume.Special care must be taken while measuringspices and other ingredientsused in small quantities.
Special care must be taken when measuring spices and other ingredients which are used in small quantities.This is particularly important with salt, which affects the rate of fermentation.
Mixing-----
The objective of this step is-
1. To combine all ingredients into a uniform, smooth dough.
2. To distribute the yeast evenly throughout the dough.
3. To develop gluten.
All the flour, yeast,water, yeast food is mixed sufficiently to make a homogenous mass.Fat should be added later, as it adversly affects water absorption and also gluten development.
Quantity and quality of gluten will decide the length of mixing times.Strong flours will need longer mixing time.
When the dough is properly mixed,the surface of the dough becomes smooth, the surface may also show round coined shaped gas bubbles trapped under a thin film of dough.
If the dough is over- mixed then the gluten structure will break down and rise during fermentation will be poor. The dough will heat up,be sticky and will tend to flatten out during intermediate and final proving. Breads produced from excessively mixed doughs will haveless volume and dark crumbly texture.
Fermentation-------------
After ther dough is correctly mixed it is fermented for a pre-determined time .The yeast acts on the sugars and starchs in the the dough to produce CO2 and alcohol..CO2 raises the dough fabric. Part of the alcohol evaporates, part is converted to acetic acid and the remaining contributes to the charecteristic flavour of bread.
There are three main sources of sugar in the fermenting dough--
---natural sugar presentin flour.
---formula sugar
---sugar produced from starch by enzymes.
The gluten becomes more smoother and more elastic, so it stretches farther and holds more gas.
An under-fermented dough will not develop proper volume and the texture of the product will be coarse.an under- fermented dough is called a young dough.
An over-fermented dough is called an old dough. An over-fermented dough becomes sticky [ due to over action of enzyme protease and acids], hard to work and slighly sour .
Knock-back-------
After 2/3rd of the fermented time is over , the dough is knocked back. Knock- back is not hitting the dough with your fist, but a method of deflating the dough, by extending the sides of the dough and putting it in the centre , so that the whole mass comes in contact with fresh air and the dough is virtually turned upside down.
Knock-back helps to equalise the temperature, the temperature of the upper surface is lower than the temperature at the base of the dough, this causes a variation in the speed of fermentation .
Knock-back helps the yeast to fuction efficiently. when the dough has fermented for some-time the yeast cells get surrounded by gas and other fermentation products which slow down their action, as it is drawn away from the food, so knock-back helps to expel
the gas,so that the yeast can carry on its function properly.
Knock-back helps to redistribute the yeast for further growth.
Scaling---------
Using a baker's scale,divide the dough into pieces of the same weight, according to the ptoduct being made.
During scaling allowance is made for theweight lossdue to evaporation of moisture in the oven. The weight loss is about 10-13%of the
weight of the dough.
Scaling should be done rapidly and efficiently to avoid over-fermenting the dough
Rounding--------
After scaling, the pieces of dough are shaped into a smooth, round balls. While dividing the dough by hand, it is desirable to cut the dough with a dough cutter. Pulling and breaking the dough should be avoided as it disturbs the trends of gluten strands which adversly affects the final texture of the product.
Intermediate Proving--------
Rounded portions of the douigh are allowed to rest for 10-20 minutes. This relaxes the gluten to make the shaping of the dough easier.
Moulding/Panning--------
The dough piece, soft and pliable, is moulded as per the desired shape. While moulding the pressure should be even throughout the dough piece.Uneven pressure will leave uneven gas pocket of uneven size in the final product.Mouldind should not be too tight or too loose.Moulded pieces are put into clean and well greased pans or trays. For units baked in pans, the seams must be centered on the bottom to avoid splitting during baking.The pan size must be matched to the weight of the dough.
Proofing------
Proofing is a continuation of the process of yeast fermentation that increases the volume of the shaped product.
The bread is proofed under suitable conditions [27-30 degrees] and 70-80% humidity. Under poofing results in poor volume and dense texture. Over proofing results in coarse texture and loss of some flavour.
French bread are given long proof to create its characteristic open texture, its strong gluten helps to withstand the long proof.
Rich doughs are slighly underproofed, because their weaker gluten structure does not withstand too much stretching.
During proofing operation the yeast should have sufficient food to affect a faster gas production. Therefore it is necessary that there is sufficient distatic activity in the flour to produce fermentable sugars for the yeast to carry on its functions.
Baking-------
Afterthe bread has acquired its full volume, it is baked. The temperature and the humidity of the ovenshould be well maintened in order to get good results.
The most important changes that take place are--
1. Oven spring, this is a rapid rise in the oven due to production and expansion of trapped gases as a result of the heat.The yeast is active at first but are killed as the temperature reaches 60 degrees inside the dough.
2. Coagulation of proteins and gelatinization of the starch. The product becomes firm and begins to hold shape.
3. Formation and browingof the crust.
Proofed breads are fragile, they should be handled carefully when being loaded into the oven.
Cooling-------
After baking the breads must be removed frm pans and cooled on racks to allow the escape of excess moisture and alcohol created during fermentation.
If the moisture gets trapped between thebresd and the surfaceofthe mould , this will make the product soggy,known as sweating.
When bread is hot the starch granules are in a swollen stateand are held unstably in a gluten framework. If bread is sliced in this state, the granules lump together giving a poor appearance to the slice..
Storing------
Breads to be consumed within 8 hours may be left on the rack. For longer storage wrap cooled bread in moisture-proof bags to preserve its freshness and to retard staling.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
i
There are 5 methods of bread-making--------
1. Straight dough method.
2. No-time dough method
3. Delayed salt method.
4. Sponge and dough method.
5. Ferment and dough method.
Straight dough method--------
In this method all the ingredients are mixed together, and the dough is fermented for a predetermined time.
The fermentation time depends on the strength of the flour, strong flours require longer fermentation time to mature adequately.
Flours which require 2 -3 hours for maturing should be used for making bread by straight method.Flours that take very long for maturing should notbe used for straight dough methods because during prolonged fermentationit is diffcult to control the temperatureof the dough and rise in temperature causes acid taste and flavour in bread.
No-time dough method---------
In this method dough is not fermented in the ususal manner. It is allowed to ferment for a short period so the twin function of fermentation ie. production of gas and conditioning of gluten are achieved to some extent by increasing the amount of yeast .
and by making the dough a little slack and warm.
It is possible to get a good product using this method, but the product has poor keeping quality and lacks aroma.Due to short fermentation time, the gluten and starch are not conditioned to hold moisture and there is no flavour because flavour producing bi- products of fermentation are absent.As there is increased quantityof yeast present, the bread may have a strong yeast flavour.
Delayed -salt method--------------
This is a slight variation of the straight method, where all the ingredients are mixed except salt and fat.As salt has a controlling action on the yeast function, the speed of fermentation of a saltless dough will be faster and a reduction in the fermentation time is affected.The salt is added at the knock-back stage.The method of addingd salt depends on the convenience of indiviual bakers.
It may be sifted on the dry dough or it is creamed with fat and incorporated into the dough.
er way is chosen ,only 3/4 mixing is done [of the actual mixing time] and 1/4th is done after salt is added.
This method is suitable for strong flours if straight dough method is used.
Sponge and dough method------------
This method is normally used for strong flours.Sponge doughs are prepared in 2 stages. This procedure give yeast action a head start.
The 1st stage is called a sponge, a yeast starter or a yeast ferment.All mean thesame thing.
In this method, a part of flour, proportionate amount of water,all the yeast and yeast food are mixed together.Mixing operation are carriedout to incirporate all the ingredients evenly. The sponge is fermented fora pre determined time,which on the quality of flour,and the amount of flour in the sponge.
The sponge is then physically tested, by either taking a piece of sponge and try to break it with both hands,.if the piece breaks with a clean fracture then the sponge is ready for mixing If the sponge stretches and breaks unevenly, then some more fermentation time is needed.
Tear the sponge apart with both hands and examine the web structure, if the web structure is very fine then the sponge is ready.
An adequately fermented doughfeels dry to touch without any stickiness present.
When the sponge is ready,it should be broken down properly with the formula water, and mixed with the remaining flour, sugar , salt and fat.After the dough is mixed ,it is rested for 30-40 minutes.Pre-conditioning of the gluten [during the sponge stage ] hastens the conditioing process.
For the sake of identification and convenience, a sponge is indicated as 60/40 or 70/30, where the first number indicates the percentage of flour used in the sponge.
Ferment and Dough Method----------------
This a variation of the sponge and dough method. Rich doughs which contain milk, eggs, substantial amounts of fat and sugar, have a retarding effect on yeast activity. If all the formula yeast,part of the flour. yeast food and sufficient water is mixed together, the yeast get initially an environment which is conducive to vogorous activityand it is in a fit condition to take on the extra load of fermentation in the presence of milk, egg etc.
When the ferment is ready, it is mixed into the dough, along with the remaining ingredients, along with the remaining ingredients and allowed to ferment [second stage]. This method is used in making enriched breads, buns, danish pastry etc.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
]
PUFF PASTRY
Ingredients: -
Refined Flour –
A good patent flour or one of medium gluten strength 13% flour is a structure builder and because of its gluten – forming ability, can dictate the lift.
Too soft a flour will result in a softer dough. The dough will be easier to handle but final volume and flake will be sacrificed.
It the flour is too strong then the dough will be tough to handle and the final product may suffer from shrinkage.
Water: -
It is a rule of thumb that the consistency of the dough should match the consistency of the roll in fat. If the dough is too soft then the layers may be ruptured by the hard fat. If the dough is firm, it will be difficult to roll out. The product may shrink and fat may leak out.
Water also serves as temperature control i.e. it should be cold to maintain firmness of fat.
Salt: -
Salt enhances flavor and also has a toughening effect on the gluten structure.
Acid: -
The addition of an acid improves sheeting ability by lowering the pH and mellowing the gluten. It has no effect on the leavening action.
Fats: -
Two types of fats are used in the production of puff pastry. They each perform a different role.
Fat is added to the dough to modify the dough itself and fat is used as a layering medium to assist in the raising of the puff pastry during baking.
Dough Fat: -
Soft fat may be used in the dough to give better eating quality to the finished product and also aids in the dough’s sheeting ability.
Also it should be noted that as the % of fat increases, volume decreases.
Maximum volume is obtained when 2.5 to 4% fat is used in the dough stage. It should have a melting point of around 33oC - 50oC.
Puff Pastry Shortening: -
This shortening is firm and waxy in nature and is exclusively used to make puffs. Because of its nature, it can be rolled out in smooth continuous sheets between the dough layers.
A melting point between 43oC – 50oC will produce excellent results, but should be high enough to with stand frictional heat to which it is subjected during sheeting and folding operation.
Puff Pastry: -
There are 2 types of puff pastry – Full and Three Quarter. There are three well-known methods of manufacture – English, French and Scotch.
The differences in these types are in the fat contents and in the number of rolls and folds given. Full puff pastry contains flour and fat in equal ratio. While ¾ pastry contains ¾ of fat to each kilo of flour.
The flour that is used in making of puff pastry should be strong, with good quality gluten.
A weak acid such as lemon juice is added. This provides greater extensibility to the gluten
Butter is the best for application as it gives a good flavor. Margarine also can be used but the melting point of margarine has to be lower than the temperature of the human body, otherwise there is a possibility of a thin film of fat remaining on the roof of the mouth after the pastry has been eaten.
The whole purpose of rolling and folding is to build up a structure of alternating layers of dough and fat. This process is known as lamination.
The English method (Three Fold): - (Flaky)
Sieve the flour; rub in 20 gms of butter or margarine. Make a bay or well, add salt and acid and make a dough and allow it to rest. Cream the margarine into a homogenous mass. The dough then rolled into a rectangle about 18” x 6”, the margarine is divided into approx. 3 parts. The first part is evenly distributed to cover 2/3rd of the rolled out dough. The flap of the dough containing no margarine is folded over to cover half of the treated area and then folded over to again cover the last portion. The pastry is given a half turn so that the open ends are parallel to the rolling pin. This process is repeated twice so as to finish all the margarine. Lastly one blindfold is given. The pastry is covered with a damp cloth and allowed to recover from the manipulation for about 30 minutes after each rolling. (7 – 9 layers)
French method: - (Continental Book Fold)
The dough is the same fashion as for the English method. The initial rolling out of the dough is different for it is rolled out to the shape of an open envelope with the four angles slightly thinner than the center.
The chilled margarine/butter is placed in the center of the rolled out square and the envelope is closed by bringing the four angles to the center. After proper relaxation of the dough, it is turned upside down and sheeted into a rectangular shape and folded in a book fold.
Scotch Method: - (Blitz)
This is the quickest way of making puff pastry.
The word is derived from the German word “Blitzen” meaning lightening.
In this method the chilled margarine is mixed into the sieved flour in pieces about the size walnuts. The folding process is a three fold followed by 3 – Four folds, all of which is accomplished in 25 min.
Baking: -
Puff pastry obtains its lifting power through the sealing of moisture in the dough, as heat penetrates the product, the layers of shortening melt and the water in the dough vaporizes and causes the layers to expand. The shortening also helps by holding in these vapors.
The gluten in the dough expands with the pressure of the steam and holds the steam in.
The shortening melts and penetrates the layers of the dough, making it flaky and tender.
The starch then gelatinizes and the proteins coagulate forming a rigid mass. The structure remains firm and flaky.
Oven Temperature: -
Proper oven temperature is important. A temperature of 204oC – 218oC with an even steady heat is very important.
Too low a temperature allows shortening to weep between the layers of dough resulting in poor quality and low volume.
Too high a temperature prematurely seals the piece and results in low volume and raw centers.
Washing: -
Puff pastry pieces are generally washed with an egg wash. Care should be taken to prevent the wash from running down the sides of the pieces while brushing the top. The eggs will coagulate with the heat of the oven, seal the sides and prevent the pastry from rising evenly. (Poor Volume)
Reasons for imperfect Pastry: -
• Puff pastry shrinks: -
1. Oven too hot
2. Not resting the dough before rolling out.
3. Not resting products before being baked.
4. Use of scrap dough.
5. Dough too soft.
• Puff Lacks Volume: -
1. Too many folds.
2. Not enough folds.
3. Use of scrap dough.
4. Dull cutters.
5. Cold oven.
6. Shortening too soft.
7. Flour too strong.
• Fat Runs Out: -
1. Dough not folded enough.
2. Oven is too cold.
3. Warm pans are used.
4. Melting point of fat is too low.
Steps in Bread-making
There are 12 stepsin bread-making. These steps are applied to all yeast products,with variations depending ona particularproduct.
The steps are--
1. Scaling of ingredients.
2. Mixing.
3. Fermentation.
4.Punching.
5 Scaling of the dough.
6.Rounding.
7.Intermediate proving/ Benching.
8.Moulding/ Panning.
9.Proofing.
10.Baking.
11.Cooling.
12.Storing.
Scaling of ingredients----------
All ingredients must be weighed accurately. Water, egg, milk must be measured by volume.Special care must be taken while measuringspices and other ingredientsused in small quantities.
Special care must be taken when measuring spices and other ingredients which are used in small quantities.This is particularly important with salt, which affects the rate of fermentation.
Mixing-----
The objective of this step is-
1. To combine all ingredients into a uniform, smooth dough.
2. To distribute the yeast evenly throughout the dough.
3. To develop gluten.
All the flour, yeast,water, yeast food is mixed sufficiently to make a homogenous mass.Fat should be added later, as it adversly affects water absorption and also gluten development.
Quantity and quality of gluten will decide the length of mixing times.Strong flours will need longer mixing time.
When the dough is properly mixed,the surface of the dough becomes smooth, the surface may also show round coined shaped gas bubbles trapped under a thin film of dough.
If the dough is over- mixed then the gluten structure will break down and rise during fermentation will be poor. The dough will heat up,be sticky and will tend to flatten out during intermediate and final proving. Breads produced from excessively mixed doughs will haveless volume and dark crumbly texture.
Fermentation-------------
After ther dough is correctly mixed it is fermented for a pre-determined time .The yeast acts on the sugars and starchs in the the dough to produce CO2 and alcohol..CO2 raises the dough fabric. Part of the alcohol evaporates, part is converted to acetic acid and the remaining contributes to the charecteristic flavour of bread.
There are three main sources of sugar in the fermenting dough--
---natural sugar presentin flour.
---formula sugar
---sugar produced from starch by enzymes.
The gluten becomes more smoother and more elastic, so it stretches farther and holds more gas.
An under-fermented dough will not develop proper volume and the texture of the product will be coarse.an under- fermented dough is called a young dough.
An over-fermented dough is called an old dough. An over-fermented dough becomes sticky [ due to over action of enzyme protease and acids], hard to work and slighly sour .
Knock-back-------
After 2/3rd of the fermented time is over , the dough is knocked back. Knock- back is not hitting the dough with your fist, but a method of deflating the dough, by extending the sides of the dough and putting it in the centre , so that the whole mass comes in contact with fresh air and the dough is virtually turned upside down.
Knock-back helps to equalise the temperature, the temperature of the upper surface is lower than the temperature at the base of the dough, this causes a variation in the speed of fermentation .
Knock-back helps the yeast to fuction efficiently. when the dough has fermented for some-time the yeast cells get surrounded by gas and other fermentation products which slow down their action, as it is drawn away from the food, so knock-back helps to expel
the gas,so that the yeast can carry on its function properly.
Knock-back helps to redistribute the yeast for further growth.
Scaling---------
Using a baker's scale,divide the dough into pieces of the same weight, according to the ptoduct being made.
During scaling allowance is made for theweight lossdue to evaporation of moisture in the oven. The weight loss is about 10-13%of the
weight of the dough.
Scaling should be done rapidly and efficiently to avoid over-fermenting the dough
Rounding--------
After scaling, the pieces of dough are shaped into a smooth, round balls. While dividing the dough by hand, it is desirable to cut the dough with a dough cutter. Pulling and breaking the dough should be avoided as it disturbs the trends of gluten strands which adversly affects the final texture of the product.
Intermediate Proving--------
Rounded portions of the douigh are allowed to rest for 10-20 minutes. This relaxes the gluten to make the shaping of the dough easier.
Moulding/Panning--------
The dough piece, soft and pliable, is moulded as per the desired shape. While moulding the pressure should be even throughout the dough piece.Uneven pressure will leave uneven gas pocket of uneven size in the final product.Mouldind should not be too tight or too loose.Moulded pieces are put into clean and well greased pans or trays. For units baked in pans, the seams must be centered on the bottom to avoid splitting during baking.The pan size must be matched to the weight of the dough.
Proofing------
Proofing is a continuation of the process of yeast fermentation that increases the volume of the shaped product.
The bread is proofed under suitable conditions [27-30 degrees] and 70-80% humidity. Under poofing results in poor volume and dense texture. Over proofing results in coarse texture and loss of some flavour.
French bread are given long proof to create its characteristic open texture, its strong gluten helps to withstand the long proof.
Rich doughs are slighly underproofed, because their weaker gluten structure does not withstand too much stretching.
During proofing operation the yeast should have sufficient food to affect a faster gas production. Therefore it is necessary that there is sufficient distatic activity in the flour to produce fermentable sugars for the yeast to carry on its functions.
Baking-------
Afterthe bread has acquired its full volume, it is baked. The temperature and the humidity of the ovenshould be well maintened in order to get good results.
The most important changes that take place are--
1. Oven spring, this is a rapid rise in the oven due to production and expansion of trapped gases as a result of the heat.The yeast is active at first but are killed as the temperature reaches 60 degrees inside the dough.
2. Coagulation of proteins and gelatinization of the starch. The product becomes firm and begins to hold shape.
3. Formation and browingof the crust.
Proofed breads are fragile, they should be handled carefully when being loaded into the oven.
Cooling-------
After baking the breads must be removed frm pans and cooled on racks to allow the escape of excess moisture and alcohol created during fermentation.
If the moisture gets trapped between thebresd and the surfaceofthe mould , this will make the product soggy,known as sweating.
When bread is hot the starch granules are in a swollen stateand are held unstably in a gluten framework. If bread is sliced in this state, the granules lump together giving a poor appearance to the slice..
Storing------
Breads to be consumed within 8 hours may be left on the rack. For longer storage wrap cooled bread in moisture-proof bags to preserve its freshness and to retard staling.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
i
bakery recipe standards- have to be written in the fp journal!
Standards For Bakery Recipes – 1st Year
1. Bread rolls
Golden brown in colour soft and spongy texture, smooth and even crust with a pleasing fresh baked aroma and taste.
2. Vanilla buns
Soft and springy with a light golden crust and a dominant aroma and taste of vanilla.
3. Madeira cake
Rich and dense structured cake with a light golden brown cake top and uniformly cracked where the strips of peel are intentionally placed.
4. Swiss rolls
A soft, light and airy cake sponge sread over with thinned down mixed fruit jam and neatly rolled into a cylinder.
5. Bread loaf
Smooth golden brown crusted bread, having a soft crumb with uniform web structure.
6. Genoise sponge
A light and airy but slightly moist sponge cake with ample height and a darker top.
7. Melting moments
Off white colour cookies flecked with crispy bits of cornflakes, flat and round in shape with a closed and compact texture and having a pleasing lemon aroma and taste.
8. Swiss tarts
A light golden yellow colored biscuit with a compact and crumbly texture, and a buttery flavour.
9. Brioche
A soft light and airy bread made from a rich yeast dough, with a golden brown colour and a smooth crust complete with a dainty knob of dough on the top of it.
10. Mango bavarois
A rich creamy dessert generously flavored with mango and with a light and airy texture.
11. Fruit cake
A rich dark brown cake heavily laden with fruit and nuts, and lightly flavored with mixed spices, has a distinct taste of the fruit and a very pleasing aroma.
12. Chocolate cookies
Brown in color wit dark flecks of chocolate spread over the surface and desirable cracks in the cookie.
13. Tri-color biscuits
Off white in color, neatly cut into a circular shape. Brittle texture and Dusted with icing sugar and garnished with three different colored jams.
14. Caramel Custard
Smooth and light baked custard, with a golden brown caramel top. Delicately flavored with vanilla or a hint of nutmeg.
1. Bread rolls
Golden brown in colour soft and spongy texture, smooth and even crust with a pleasing fresh baked aroma and taste.
2. Vanilla buns
Soft and springy with a light golden crust and a dominant aroma and taste of vanilla.
3. Madeira cake
Rich and dense structured cake with a light golden brown cake top and uniformly cracked where the strips of peel are intentionally placed.
4. Swiss rolls
A soft, light and airy cake sponge sread over with thinned down mixed fruit jam and neatly rolled into a cylinder.
5. Bread loaf
Smooth golden brown crusted bread, having a soft crumb with uniform web structure.
6. Genoise sponge
A light and airy but slightly moist sponge cake with ample height and a darker top.
7. Melting moments
Off white colour cookies flecked with crispy bits of cornflakes, flat and round in shape with a closed and compact texture and having a pleasing lemon aroma and taste.
8. Swiss tarts
A light golden yellow colored biscuit with a compact and crumbly texture, and a buttery flavour.
9. Brioche
A soft light and airy bread made from a rich yeast dough, with a golden brown colour and a smooth crust complete with a dainty knob of dough on the top of it.
10. Mango bavarois
A rich creamy dessert generously flavored with mango and with a light and airy texture.
11. Fruit cake
A rich dark brown cake heavily laden with fruit and nuts, and lightly flavored with mixed spices, has a distinct taste of the fruit and a very pleasing aroma.
12. Chocolate cookies
Brown in color wit dark flecks of chocolate spread over the surface and desirable cracks in the cookie.
13. Tri-color biscuits
Off white in color, neatly cut into a circular shape. Brittle texture and Dusted with icing sugar and garnished with three different colored jams.
14. Caramel Custard
Smooth and light baked custard, with a golden brown caramel top. Delicately flavored with vanilla or a hint of nutmeg.
Friday, April 16, 2010
fp recipes--12-16 april
Lentil Soup (Linensuppe – German) No. of Portions 4
Ingredients QTY Unit
Lentils (Masoor Dal) 100 Gm
Bacon 02 Rashers
Onion 50 Gm
Carrot 30 Gm
Celery 20 Gm
Garlic 5 Gm
Beer 150 Ml
Sausage 2 Nos.
Fresh Thyme 5 Gm
Parsley ¼ Bunch
Salt To taste
Pepper 3 Gm
Pre-preparation:
1. Chop onion, carrot, celery into small dices.
2. Chop the garlic finely.
3. Strip the thyme. Chop parsley fine.
4. Dice the bacon and the sausages.
5. Soak the lentils overnight. Boil it. Reserve the water.
Method:
1. Render the bacon. Keep the fat in the pan and keep the bacon aside.
2. In the same, pan sauté the mirepoix and garlic. Add half the thyme leaves.
3. Add the cooked lentils, beer and the liquid. Bring to a boil.
4. Simmer till the soup for some time.
5. Finish with thyme, chopped parsley, bacon and sausages.
To serve:
Serve piping hot, garnished with chopped parsley, maybe served as a complete meal. Served with German Rye Bread.
Standard:
Brown broth, thickened with lentils. Vegetables to be well cooked. Mild flavour of bacon, beer and thyme. Adequately seasoned.
Shepherd’s pie No. of Portions 4
Ingredients QTY Unit
Minced mutton / beef 500 Gm
Potato 450 Gm
Butter 25 Gm
Cream 50 ml
Onion 100 Gm
Flour 15 Gm
Tomato 100 Gm
Red wine 50 Ml
Salt, white pepper powder To taste
Fresh Rosemary 5 Gm
Oil 10 Ml
Parsley A sprig
Egg ½ No.
Pre-preparation:
1. Chop onions finely. Blanch and concasse the tomatoes.
2. Boil, mash and cream potatoes.
Method:
1. Heat oil. Sauté onions.
2. Add mutton / beef mince and simmer to cook
3. Add tomatoes, salt, pepper and mixed herbs. Mix and cook well.
4. Grease a pie dish. Pour mince mixture.
5. Pipe the creamed potatoes on top with a star nozzle. Apply egg wash.
6. Bake at 190 degrees centigrade for 15-20 minutes.
To serve:
Serve hot garnished with a sprig of parsley.
Standard:
Golden brown crust of potatoes covering well cooked, flavourful, adequately seasoned minced meat.
Salad Caprese No. of Portions 4
Ingredients QTY Unit
Tomato 150 Gm
Mozzarella 100 Gm
FOR PESTO
Basil 20 Gm
Garlic 5 Gm
Pine nuts 15 Gm
Oil 20 Ml
Salt To taste
Pre-preparation:
Cut tomatoes into thick roundels.
Cut mozzarella into similar size slices.
Reerve some basil leaves for garnish.
Make pesto by grinding together the rest of the ingredients.
Chill the tomato and cheese slices.
Method:
Arrange alternate slices of tomato and mozzarella on a chilled plate.
Drizzle pesto over it.
Garnish with torn basil leaves.
To Serve:
Chilled, tomato and cheese cut and arranged neatly.
Standard:
Evenly sized roundels of tomato and cheese slices. Chilled, flavoured adequately with pesto.
Ingredients QTY Unit
Lentils (Masoor Dal) 100 Gm
Bacon 02 Rashers
Onion 50 Gm
Carrot 30 Gm
Celery 20 Gm
Garlic 5 Gm
Beer 150 Ml
Sausage 2 Nos.
Fresh Thyme 5 Gm
Parsley ¼ Bunch
Salt To taste
Pepper 3 Gm
Pre-preparation:
1. Chop onion, carrot, celery into small dices.
2. Chop the garlic finely.
3. Strip the thyme. Chop parsley fine.
4. Dice the bacon and the sausages.
5. Soak the lentils overnight. Boil it. Reserve the water.
Method:
1. Render the bacon. Keep the fat in the pan and keep the bacon aside.
2. In the same, pan sauté the mirepoix and garlic. Add half the thyme leaves.
3. Add the cooked lentils, beer and the liquid. Bring to a boil.
4. Simmer till the soup for some time.
5. Finish with thyme, chopped parsley, bacon and sausages.
To serve:
Serve piping hot, garnished with chopped parsley, maybe served as a complete meal. Served with German Rye Bread.
Standard:
Brown broth, thickened with lentils. Vegetables to be well cooked. Mild flavour of bacon, beer and thyme. Adequately seasoned.
Shepherd’s pie No. of Portions 4
Ingredients QTY Unit
Minced mutton / beef 500 Gm
Potato 450 Gm
Butter 25 Gm
Cream 50 ml
Onion 100 Gm
Flour 15 Gm
Tomato 100 Gm
Red wine 50 Ml
Salt, white pepper powder To taste
Fresh Rosemary 5 Gm
Oil 10 Ml
Parsley A sprig
Egg ½ No.
Pre-preparation:
1. Chop onions finely. Blanch and concasse the tomatoes.
2. Boil, mash and cream potatoes.
Method:
1. Heat oil. Sauté onions.
2. Add mutton / beef mince and simmer to cook
3. Add tomatoes, salt, pepper and mixed herbs. Mix and cook well.
4. Grease a pie dish. Pour mince mixture.
5. Pipe the creamed potatoes on top with a star nozzle. Apply egg wash.
6. Bake at 190 degrees centigrade for 15-20 minutes.
To serve:
Serve hot garnished with a sprig of parsley.
Standard:
Golden brown crust of potatoes covering well cooked, flavourful, adequately seasoned minced meat.
Salad Caprese No. of Portions 4
Ingredients QTY Unit
Tomato 150 Gm
Mozzarella 100 Gm
FOR PESTO
Basil 20 Gm
Garlic 5 Gm
Pine nuts 15 Gm
Oil 20 Ml
Salt To taste
Pre-preparation:
Cut tomatoes into thick roundels.
Cut mozzarella into similar size slices.
Reerve some basil leaves for garnish.
Make pesto by grinding together the rest of the ingredients.
Chill the tomato and cheese slices.
Method:
Arrange alternate slices of tomato and mozzarella on a chilled plate.
Drizzle pesto over it.
Garnish with torn basil leaves.
To Serve:
Chilled, tomato and cheese cut and arranged neatly.
Standard:
Evenly sized roundels of tomato and cheese slices. Chilled, flavoured adequately with pesto.
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