Of Course My Cheesecake is Baked!
One Bite at a Time
By Katja Morgenstern
I RECENTLY HAD AN INTERESTING CONVERSATION WITH ONE OF THE TOP U.S. PASTRY CHEFS.
“Are your cheesecakes baked?” I asked.
“Of course they are baked. What kind of operation do you think I am running here? I do not serve JELL-O ‘No Bake’ Cheesecake!”
“I apologize for asking, but I needed to be certain.”
I imagine he was feeling somewhat insulted and indignant because I asked him if he served JELL-O Cheesecake. I can not even begin to guess what must have really been going through this amazing pastry chef’s mind. I have seen and tasted his creations (they are magnificent), and it pained me to even ask him that question. Yet, I did ask, because I owed it to my attendees. I had received a very specific request in regards to allergies from several of my attendees. I had to be sure, so I risked insulting the wonderful chef and asked the question.
And to take it one step further, adding insult to injury, I had to ask that he actually label his cheesecakes as “Fully Baked Cheesecakes.”
While the above scenario would make any meeting planner laugh, food allergies are no laughing matter. They are a serious consideration when planning meals for meetings and conferences. While planners can’t always accommodate all meal requests, making every attempt to consider major allergens is a priority. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 3.3 million Americans are allergic to peanuts or tree nuts, and 6.9 million are allergic to seafood. A quick search on WebMD gives us the astounding statistic: 12 million Americans have some form of food allergy. This accounts for approximately 30,000 emergency room visits and up to 200 deaths per year. As far as statistics go, these numbers are really not that high, but as a meeting planner, I don’t want even one severe reaction at my event because food that I planned was improperly labeled.
There is a distinct difference between a food allergy and a food intolerance. A food allergy is an immune system response. This means that when an attendee ingests—or sometimes merely comes into contact with—an allergen, the body releases histamine to battle the offending protein in the food that is causing the allergic response. A food intolerance, on the other hand, generally only creates a digestive response, not an immune response. While both are never a good thing, a food allergy is a greater risk and concern that every planner needs to consider.
Based on recent statistics and studies, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration estimates that 90 percent of all food allergies fall into one of the following categories.
1. Dairy or Whey
2. Egg
3. Peanut (legume)
4. Tree Nuts—macadamia, pine, Brazil, pecan, cashew, almond, walnut, gingko and hickory
5. Seafood—flounder, trout, salmon, etc.
6. Shellfish—crawfish, shrimp, crab, lobster, etc.
7. Soy or Lecithin
8. Wheat or Flour
The most common adult food allergies are peanuts, tree nuts and shellfish. There are several other allergies to consider, but you can focus on the top eight when planning or outlining your menus. People suffering from shellfish, peanut or tree nut allergies may not need to ingest those items in order to have an allergic reaction. A reaction could occur simply from contact with the product (such as dust, shells or any other byproduct).
I would never knowingly or willingly insult a chef, of any caliber, except when it relates to the health of an attendee. I did go back and ask the attendees why the food needed to be cooked. According to several folks with slight dairy allergies, if the dairy product is cooked or baked, they can consume the food, in small quantities. I, too, am a sucker for a really good cheesecake, so I can understand the push for me to ask if the cake was baked or not. One+
KATJA MORGENSTERN is a senior project manager for Meeting Consultants Inc. She is an active MPI member, industry speaker and industry veteran. She can be reached at kmorgenstern@meetingconsultants.com.
Major Signs and Symptoms of an Allergic Reaction
• Wheezing, tightness of the throat
• Difficulty swallowing
• Hives, rash
• Itchy eyes, nose, throat and skin
• Swelling of the eyes, lips, nose and tongue
• Symptoms usually begin within three hours after contact
Tips for Allergy Friendly Menu Planning
• Label everything, including things as simple as “Fully Cooked Cheesecake.”
• It is better to over-label your buffet or plated meals than to not have enough labels.
• When serving a plated meal, include all major ingredients in a menu card at each seat.
• When serving foods that contain potential allergens, offer additional foods without the offending item. If you have a buffet with two proteins (for example, one fish dish and one chicken dish), I wouldn’t serve cashew-encrusted chicken, since both seafood and tree nuts are major potential allergens in a large percentage of adults. Instead, I would include a simpler chicken dish with the fish.
• Be sure to include “Contains Nuts, Whey or Soy” on all your labels if the product contains any of those items.
• Be especially aware of certain vegetarian dishes that may contain pine nuts or mushrooms. These are typical ingredients in the traditional vegetarian pasta option and are common allergens.
• Offer attendees the option to list or check off their allergies upon registration.
• Talk with your chef and catering partner to plan a meal that takes into account major allergies.
• When laying out your buffets or receptions, keep in mind that certain allergies don’t require ingestion but may simply react to contact. Keep peanuts, tree nuts and shellfish separate from other major food groups if at all possible.