The Truth in MenusI can't believe it's not butter by Ted Wild
We have all heard that commercial that ran several years ago...Now just what does that open the chef up to?...Old fryer oil, 40 weight Harley Oil? All we know for sure is that we can't believe it 'ain't' butter.
For truth and accuracy on menus, I am afraid that there is more involved than that. The questions are endless: What is Russian dressing, or for those from New York, Thousand Island dressing? Why is it German Chocolate cake, and what do they call Baked Alaska in Alaska? In many states, if it goes on your menu as a specific item, it had better be that item or more than the food cost will be at risk. The entire issue of truth in food is quite a strong one.
So just what are we saying anyway? Russian dressing has never been to the tundra, French fries, English muffins, Turkish Taffy...Fortunately, most of these offending items require only a bit of common sense and some training in order to know what to look for. Select names must be accurate. If the label says "Maple Syrup fresh from trees in beautiful Vermont," there had better not be Log Cabin or Mrs. Butterworth’s on the shelf when someone inquires, and the syrup must be maple 100%. In order to be advertised as maple flavored, it must contain at least 10% maple syrup, and this must be mixed at the plant or you run the risk of adulterated food.
Grading must be accurate; if advertised or referred to, there are quality specs for grades A, B, and so on, as well as beef and pork grades. If the establishment cannot prove that an item is prime, choice or whatever, it should not be referred to as such. Oddly enough, a prime rib may be Choice, Prime, Standard or whatever since the prime here refers to the cut and not to the grading...Confused? Pacific Red Snapper may be, at this writing, one of 13 different species all marketed under that name. However, this only applies in California, Washington and Oregon. Outside that area, the FDA requires that it be sold as rockfish. Similar is the case with Scampi. Referred to on the menu as Scampi, the item must be shrimp, but referred to scampi-style may include anything: Lobster scampi, Seafood scampi and such.
Places of origin have been used as advertising for many years (Long Island Duck, Colorado Beef, Chesapeake Oysters, etc.) and must come from the area mentioned. Boston Clam chowder, Denver Omelettes, Danish Pastries, Anaheim Chiles, all these items may originate anywhere. When in doubt, you can check with a governing agency. They are THE definitive answer. Homemade food...No, this is not food the chef takes home and brings in each day. Food produced at home is not legal for sale in a restaurant. It refers to the style of cooking, not a place. Low Calorie...Unless accompanied by a nutritional readout, this should be referred to as a diet plate or other such name. The term ‘Weight Watchers’ is protected and requires sanctions and guidelines to be placed on a menu. The safest assumption as a consumer, (and there are no safe assumptions at that) is if the item is from a broad geographical area, such as Danish Pastries or English muffins, it may be sold as such.
Once a point of origin is established (I.E. Florida Stone Crabs, Smithfield Ham, Colorado Trout), then the item must be from the location to be advertised as such. Other items that must be verifiable include Aged Beef, Center Cut, Corn Fed, Pesticide free, Free Range, Dry Cured, Smoke Cured, and all USDA grades. For the guest, reading menus can be an enjoyable and interesting way to spend part of a dinner.
It can also make for interesting conversation after the waiter says, "Hi, my name is Bert and I’ll be your waiter tonight. Let me tell you about several specials that don’t appear on the menu..." As an informed guest, you can coolly appraise him or her and ask, "Is that an actual free-range chicken and do you have the bill of lading to back that up?...Or if not, what is the grading level on the Prime Rib tonight?"
The Truth in Menus
