HAMS ON PARADE

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30531, 28 August 1964, Page 2

HAMS ON PARADE

Food Fair Contest

Hams were dressed up in their party best in the ham section of the professional chefs* competition at the National Food Fair last evening. Among the glazed and colourfully garnished hams was one platter on which a' whole, cooked piglet capered on parsley “grass.” The judge (Mr Anthony Bohdan, chief banquet and catering manager of the Chevron-Hilton Hotel, Sydney) had 26 entries to consider, many of which had been brought to Christchurch by. air. The winner was the chef of the Milford Hotel. This entry was a plain poached ham. glazed, and decorated with the New Zealand coat of arms finely etched in mushrooms and set in aspic. The ham was served with a variety of garnishes including celery, cubes of golden aspic, and baskets of apple filled with glazed prunes. Entries in the professional chefs’ competitions have come to the fair from as far away as Te Puke, Whangarei, Invercargill. Mount Cook and Hanmer and Milford Sound.

The Pig Producers’ Council took a party of 24 food writers and dietitians from throughout the Dominion to the fair last evening to see the final judging of the cooked dressed ham competition. Later the visitors were entertained at dinner at Warners Hotel, where the menu included thick gammon steaks served with peaches (“flamed” in brandy) and cream sauce. Poultry Prize Mr J. Kramer, chef of the Malando restaurant, Christi church, was the winner of the i poultry section of the competitions at the fair. The centre piece of his entry was two smoothly-glazed birds, decorated with a small New Zealand motif and fernleaf. As well as seeing what can be done to dress a ham for a special occasion, housewives visiting the fair can learn other aspects of pork preparation and cookery at the stall of the Pig Producers’ Council There Mr F. Lowther demonstrates the cutting up of a carcase into joints, and offers advice on the best use of more economical cuts and joints.