Christian Chefs Newsletter
August, 2002

Subscription/Unsubscription/Address Change/Contact Information can be found near the base of Part 2 of this newsletter.

MENU du JOUR:
      Appetizer
      Main Course
           Christianity in the Kitchen - "An Acronym for Prayer"
           CCF Trivia
           Recipe - Chicken Velvet Soup
           Recent Job Listings - 6 New
      Dessert
           Recipe Contests (For Professionals Only)
           Hints and Tips
           Featured Website - www.foodpros.com
           Chef to Chef
           A Little Something Extra
           A Merry Heart
      Toothpick

A P P E T I Z E R

The Memberlist is a free service you will soon be able to sign up for that allows you to see a small amount of information about other members subscribed to the program. It will show the person's first name, location, and a short profile they enter about themselves. It will be password-protected, and no e-mail addresses will be given. You will be able to fill out a form on the website to send a message to someone, but nobody will be able to see your e-mail address and vice versa. This will keep the Memberlist completely private and secure from spammers. CCF currently has almost 800 members, most of whom we expect will utilize the Memberlist. The Memberlist will allow you to contact, meet and have fellowship with other cooks and chefs in your local area or wherever you happen to live around the world. We are hoping to announce the grand opening of this section of our web site within the next few weeks. Sorry, but the Memberlist is only for people currently in (or close to being in, for example being retired from cooking, in culinary school, etc.) the culinary industry. Also, for those who are signed up for the Pen-Pal program, that will be ending shortly, as this will provide you with many more benefits than that ever could have.

The Christian camp/conference center retreat that's being held October 14-16 is coming along very well. The pre-registration discount expires on September 1st, so please let us know soon if you are coming. You can find more information and register through the following area of CCF's website:
http://www.ChristianChefs.org/conferences/scca

God Bless,
Ira Krizo, Director
CCF@ChristianChefs.org

M A I N    C O U R S E

Prayer is such a vital part of the life of the believer yet it is probably the least understood. At Calvary Chapel Conference Center, we use the gift and the armor of prayer at all levels and in every circumstance. We have literally hundreds of references to prayer throughout the Old and the New Testaments. Prayer is essentially and basically communicating with God. Communication by definition is two-way. Prayer should consist of the two elements of asking and listening. As the late Pastor L.E. Romaine of CCCM used to say "God gave you two ears and only one mouth." If you have a one-way relationship -- well, you know where that goes.

I was in church when God strongly placed this acronym for prayer upon my heart. I was not looking for it or even thinking about it. In obedience though, I simply scribbled the word "Available" down and just as quickly received the words to go with each letter of the acronym. Upon arrival at home, I quickly got on the computer and wrote out this simple devotion.

"A-v-a-i-l-a-b-l-e," an acronym for prayer, will help us to codify some of the qualities and characteristics of a prayer in light of the Word of God and in the life of the true believer. Prayer will remind us that he is GOD and we are not. This acronym is based upon the word "available" which in its basic Websters definition means "reachable."

"Our Father who art in heaven" -- He is the one true God. (Deuteronomy 6:4 -- the Hebrew shema) He is the creator of the universe. (Genesis 1:1, John 1:1) We direct our prayers towards the one and only God. (Isaiah 43:11, 44:6, 45:5-7) We direct our prayers to the God who forgive sins. (Matthew 6:14, Mark 2:5-7, Romans 6:23)

V-Veil/Victory... At the crucifixion of Jesus, the veil to the Holy of Holies in the Temple was torn, giving us access to the Holy of Holies, a picture of our direct access to God the Father. (Matthew 27:51, Hebrews 6:19, Hebrews 9:11-15) We have victory in Christ at the Cross. (1Corinthians 15) HE alone defeated death by resurrecting Himself on the third day. (John 2:19-22) Our victory is our hope in the assurance of the Resurrection. 1 John 5:13 states that we have eternal life.

A-Access/Always/Attitude... Access is somewhat redundant here in as it is a synonym for available; nonetheless it is an important characteristic of prayer and it dovetails well with our command to pray always. For if we were ever denied access, it would follow that we could not obey this command. Vice-versa, as we strive to pray always, we realize that God is only a prayer away. Pray 24/7; pray without ceasing. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 states "Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus." (Phil 4:6) Paul was the ultimate example as verily in every letter he states his constant prayer for them. Paul’s prayers were other-centered. Jesus, as well, in John 17 (entire chapter) lays out for us an awesome example of prayer. Our attitude should be an attitude of prayer.

I-Intercessory... prayer on behalf of others. Ezekiel gives us an example of how God is searching for a man in the earth who will stand in the gap for the land and the people. (Ezekiel 22:30) Examples of intercessory prayer can be found in Isaiah 53:12, Hebrews 7:25, and Jesus' in John 17. The (Holy) Spirit in Romans 8:26 is constantly interceding for us. In application, Paul says to imitate him as he imitates Christ -- to selflessly pray for others as our examples have done before us.

L-Life Eternal... dovetailing well with intercessory prayer as souls are hanging in the balance. (Matthew 16:26) Eternal life is at hand as we intercede for those who don’t know Him. We pray for the Father to draw the unbelievers to Himself for eternal life. (John 3:16, John 6:37) We pray that "the sheep" would hear His voice and respond to His call to Himself for salvation.

A-All things... are possible with God. (Mark 9:23, Matthew 19:26) With God, nothing is impossible. (Luke 1:37) Recently, my 73-year-old dad, a "dyed-in-the-wool" atheist, received Jesus Christ as his Savior. Pray, for the object of our faith is The Creator.

B-Believe... God. Ask without doubting. (John 15:16, James 1:6)

Faith and belief are interchangeable. The Hebrews 11 definition of faith states "Faith is the assurance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen."

Without faith it is impossible to please Him. (Hebrews 11:6)

Anything that is not of faith is sin. (Romans 14:23)

For prayer to be effective, you must believe and believe that He is a rewarder of those who trust Him. (Hebrews 11:6)

Belief (faith) is simply a key ingredient of salvation (Acts 16:30-31). The Philippian jailer asks "What must I do to be saved?" Paul and Silas respond, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved!"

L-Love... God is love. (1 John 4:9) Love covers a multitude of sins. (James 5:20) Pray because you love God and want fellowship and a relationship with Him. Jesus said you would know them by their love. He said "if you love me, do my commandments." A sacrifice of prayer is an act of ultimate love. As I cried out to the Lord to save my family, I began to pray for them. A relationship is based on communication and prayer is a vehicle to communicate with God and a vehicle for God to communicate to you.

E-Eternal perspective... If we will view life with eternity in mind, we will weigh successfully the things that are most important and the eternal things will far outweigh the temporal. We will pray more, to God, for others, in fulfillment of the greatest of all commandments, to love God first and to love our neighbor as ourselves.

Prayer should help us to focus on eternity. The eternal perspective on life will radically transform your walk with God. "For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself." (Philippians 3:20-21)

SUMMARY:

The word "available" means reachable.

GOD is reachable.

Access is 24/7.

We who have been born-again of the Spirit of God have become the children of God. (John 1:12) Our Father, through the shed blood of Jesus has made Himself available to us at all times. All good gifts come from Him. (James:1:17) We have not because we ask not (James 4:2) and Jesus has promised that any thing we ask of Him according to the will of the Father will be done. (John 15:16)

As we have talked about prayer and about the only true God, you may be asking, "How do I get to know this God I just read about? How do I start to communicate with Him?"

The Bible states in Romans 10:9-13, "that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead you will be saved..."

If there was ever a day and an age and a time that we needed to pray, these would be the days.

Let’s pray, pray, pray, pray, pray.

Lance Roll, Executive Chef
Calvary Chapel Conference Center
Murrieta, California
http://www.chef4souls.com

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

First, this newsletter's question:

What is the common powder that is derived from seaweed, vegetables, cereal gluten, and the residue of sugar beets?

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

Solution to the last newsletter's trivia question:

Question:
What is a cross between a cow and a buffalo?

Answer:
Beefalo

Additional information found/submitted on the subject:
'Beefalo' are a cross between bison (American buffalo) and domestic cattle. 'Cattalo' on the other hand are a cross between a cow and buffalo.

Earl, a former butcher of some beefalo, told us that bison is quite lean and crossing it with beef cattle gives it some fat, but it is still leaner than regular beef.

Another person even found it in the description of the book "Sunshine Rider: The First Vegetarian Western":
"A historically accurate, yet comically offbeat story of the Wild West follows the adventures of a teenaged cowboy and his companion "cattalo" -- a cross between a cow and buffalo -- as they follow a cattle drive to Oklahoma in 1881. Reprint. AB. SLJ."

The first people to answer this question correctly:
1. Carol Pinson, Cook, Leslie Cafe, Leslie, Arkansas
2. ChefCandyMAn@aol.com
3. Phil Bettencourt Jr.
4. S. Fisher, Fontana, California
5. David Longacre, Food Service Director, Harmony Heart Camp

This is the famous "Chicken Velvet Soup" recipe from Thousand Pines Conference Center in Crestline, California. It is a winner every time, and also works well with broccoli (or other ingredients) instead of chicken.
Submitted by Diane Boone

Ingredients:
2 1/2 lb. (1.1kg) Margarine
2 lb. (900g) All Purpose Flour
1 1/2 tsp. (7ml) Pepper
1 Tbsp. (15ml) Poultry Seasoning
2 1/2 gal (9.5l) Chicken Stock (or water with chicken base)
6 1/2 qt. (6l) Milk
5 lb. (2.3kg) Chicken, cooked and diced

Procedure:
Melt margarine in saucepan; add flour, pepper and poultry seasoning. Mix and cook roux for 4-5 minutes. Combine chicken stock and milk in stockpot and heat until hot (185'F/85'C). Add roux slowly. Cook over low heat until thickened and smooth, stirring frequently. Add chicken. Allow to stand and develop flavor. Adjust seasoning if necessary.

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

Name = Bertrand at Mister A's
Location = San Diego, California (USA)
Positions = Garde-Manger and Line Cook/Experience Prep Cook

Name = Covenant Presbyterian Church
Location = Nashville, Tennessee (USA)
Positions = Kitchen Assistant

Name = Calvary Chapel Conference Center
Location = Twin Peaks, California (USA)
Position = Chef

Name = InterVarsity at Toah Nipi (Retreat Center)
Location = Rindge, New Hampshire (USA)
Position = Food Service Manager

Name = Operation Mobilisation Ships
Location = Worldwide
Positions = Cook and Baker

Name = Mike's Village Restaurant
Location = Dimondale, Michigan (USA)
Position = PM Assistant Manager

D E S S E R T

Please note: Listed here is 1 contest for PROFESSIONALS ONLY in the culinary industry. There are many more contests available for nonprofessionals as well, some of them ongoing or being repeated on a monthly basis. If you're interested in those, here's one excellent website to check out:
http://www.recipecontests.com

SORRENTO LACTALIS "MASTERS OF MASCARPONE" RECIPE CONTEST
Foodservice professionals, culinary educators and students are invited to develop a recipe using Sorrento Mascarpone Cheese as a feature ingredient.
DEADLINE: Sept. 30
PRIZES: Grand Prize: A 6-day/5-night trip for two to Rome, plus $500 spending money; Student Grand Prize: a $500 American Express Gift Cheque; Finalists: a $200 Gift Cheque.
WEB SITE: http://www.sorrentofs.com/MascarponeContest.htm
WINNERS LIST: Send an SASE to Sorrento Lactalis Masters of Mascarpone Food Service Recipe Contest, 2376 South Park Avenue, Buffalo, N.Y. 14220.
NOTIFICATION: Winners will be notified in writing by Nov. 15, 2002.
MAIL TO:
Sorrento Lactalis Masters of Mascarpone Food Service Recipe Contest
2376 South Park Avenue
Buffalo, N.Y. 14220

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

Baking powder will remove tea or coffee stains from china tea pots or cups.

Submitted by Diane Boone

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

This is a great website to search for all the latest information on the foodservice industry, including brands, suppliers, books and magazines, employment and employees.

"Does anyone know if camp and retreat food has improved in the last ten years.
Is family style still in or is it sit down service or buffet?

In short, how has the food changed?"

This quote taken from the "Culinary Q&A" section of CCF's message boards:
http://www.ChristianChefs.org/forums.html

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

There is not a single pessimistic note anywhere in the New Testament after the resurrection.
Andrew Blackwood

Borrowed with permission from "This Day's Thought"
http://www.thisdaysthought.org

Seen on a t-shirt:
"HAM AND EGGS - a day's work for a chicken; a lifetime commitment for a pig."

Submitted by Carol Pinson

T O O T H P I C K

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God Bless,
Ira Krizo, Director
Christian Chefs Fellowship
CCF@ChristianChefs.org
http://www.ChristianChefs.org
Phone: (909) 696-3930
Fax: (508) 462-1068

Christian Chefs Fellowship
PO Box 608
Crestline, CA 92325
USA