National Western Stock Show returns, and with it a flood of gadget-related memories
It can be hard to remember that farm animals are raised for their meat or milk, not pets meant for cuddling. Photo by Emily Kemme.
By Emily Kemme
When I was a kid, going to the National Western Stock Show each January was always a highlight. Before the main event began — usually a rodeo or horse show — my parents, grandma, sisters and I explored the crowded concourses ringing the Denver Coliseum.
If there was time, we strolled into the holding pen areas to marvel at the enormous cattle, their hair so fluffed, their hooves so polished. It was hard to remember these were animals raised for their meat or milk and were not pets meant for cuddling.
But the part I enjoyed most were the vendors lining the grand concourse. Hawking knives and the tools to sharpen them, there were gadgets galore for sale, with vendors promising that this tool would be the one that would make a cook’s life easier.
We’d stand in front of a demonstration table, fascinated by whatever the seller was demonstrating to my mom. There were slicers, dicers, cubers and even doodads that could make carrots curl.
My love of cooking and kitchen gadgetry was likely born from those minutes spent watching how, through the magic of a machine or kitchen implement, a zucchini could become a mound of uniform squares, each one-eighth inch in diameter.
To this day, I can wander for hours in cooking shops, like Greeley’s cooking wonderland, Miss Mary’s Kitchen, that you’ll find tucked into a corner of Lincoln Park Emporium in downtown Greeley. It’s a place where modern technology meets cookware handed down from mother to daughter, a place where you can find a bright yellow RSVP Deluxe Corn Stripper alongside new and vintage fondue sets.
These days, I am versed in the dicing technique that creates those one-eighth inch squares — it’s called “brunoise,” — I also know a knife must be razor sharp to achieve it. I understand that a chef needs patience and skill to reduce a lump of vegetable into a work of edible art. It’s not just the tool.
What stands out most from those Stock Show excursions is the living connection between cooking and science: the mission of the National Western is partly to educate the public about the hard working farmers and ranchers who continually learn innovative techniques and scientific practices to make food production and preparation safer and more efficient.
That makes this a good time of year to remind folks about the Colorado Department of Agriculture’s smart food safety practices.
Miss Mary’s Kitchen is a cooking wonderland tucked into a corner of Lincoln Park Emporium in downtown Greeley. It’s a place where modern technology meets cookware and dishes handed down from mother to daughter, a place where you can find a bright yellow RSVP Deluxe Corn Stripper alongside new and vintage fondue sets. Photo by Emily Kemme.
Two years into a pandemic, we focus a lot on the health dangers outside our homes and kitchens. But researchers at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have identified more than 250 foodborne diseases, ranging from bacteria, viruses and parasites.
Although the SARS-CoV-2 virus has upended daily life since early 2020, foodborne illness is a common but preventable occurrence when safe food preparation guidelines are followed.
Clean: The First Rule of Safe Food Preparation
Wash hands with warm water and soap for 20 seconds before and after handling any food.
Wash food-contact surfaces (cutting boards, dishes, utensils, countertops) with hot, soapy water after preparing each food item and before going on to the next item.
Rinse fruits and vegetables thoroughly under cool running water and use a produce brush to remove surface dirt.
Do not rinse raw meat and poultry before cooking.
Separate: Don’t Give Bacteria a Chance to Spread
Keep raw eggs, meat, poultry, seafood, and their juices away from foods that won't be cooked. Take this precaution while shopping in the store, when storing in the refrigerator at home, and while preparing meals.
Consider using one cutting board only for foods that will be cooked (such as raw meat, poultry, and seafood) and another one for those that will not (such as raw fruits and vegetables).
Keep fruits and vegetables that will be eaten raw separate from other foods such as raw meat, poultry or seafood—and from kitchen utensils used for those products.
Do not put cooked meat or other food that is ready to eat on an unwashed plate that has held any raw eggs, meat, poultry, seafood, or their juices.
Cook: Kill Harmful Bacteria
Use a food thermometer to make sure meat, poultry, and fish are cooked to a safe internal temperature.
Bring sauces, soups, and gravies to a rolling boil when reheating.
Cook eggs until the yolk and white are firm. When making your own eggnog or other recipe calling for raw eggs, use pasteurized shell eggs, liquid or frozen pasteurized egg products, or powdered egg whites.
Don't eat uncooked cookie dough, which may contain raw eggs.
Chill: Refrigerate Foods Quickly
Refrigerate leftovers and takeout foods—and any type of food that should be refrigerated—within two hours.
Set your refrigerator at or below 40ºF and the freezer at 0ºF. Check both periodically with an appliance thermometer.
Never defrost food at room temperature. Food can be defrosted safely in the refrigerator, under cold running water, or in the microwave. Food thawed in cold water or in the microwave should be cooked immediately.
Allow the correct amount of time to properly thaw food.
Don't taste food that looks or smells questionable.
Leftovers should be used within three to four days.
Source: www.coloradoagriculture.com
Details
The National Western Stock Show returns this year after a hiatus in 2021 due to COVID-19. It runs from January 8-23.
Miss Mary’s Kitchen, inside Lincoln Park Emporium, 822 8th Street, Greeley
Hours: Monday - Saturday 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. | Sunday Noon to 4 p.m. | Or by appointment, call (970) 381-7398