Too many of us throw a blind eye or are ignorant to the dangers we face in our kitchens when preparing a meal at home. Most of us enter the kitchen with reckless abandon and don’t give a second thought to the hazards that await. Evil cult movements which promote home cooking have been known to surface from time to time as well, such as the “Come Dine With Me” evenings which have been made popular on TV. Dinner hosts are challenged to put their lives at risk, all for the sake of “impressing” and “feeding their guests a good meal”.

HOWEVER. What if the meal is terrible? Will your guests return? Will they ever speak with you again? Even worse, what if they pretend to like the meal but then go and ridicule your culinary efforts behind your back?

These considerations exist in addition to the fact that you could cause yourself serious injury in the prepping process. So, the question remains: Is cooking your own meal at home really worth the effort and risk? Read on, you may change your mind.

Here is the good news:

There are professional establishments, like us lot here at Tolbos, who have decades of experience in handling these dangerous situations and are willing to risk our own safety to ensure your well-being (and full tummies).

Introducing our new weekly Tolbos evening meal takeaway service.

For the first time at Tolbos, you can order your daily cooked meals to enjoy at home – minus the risk, plus you are pretty much guaranteed an absolutely delicious meal. Every. Single. Time.

Here is how it works:

Each week, we will present a menu for the week that follows. It will be published on our Facebook page and circulated via email (on that note, inbox us your email address or send a mail to tolbos@baviaans.net if you would like to be included in the mailing list). Customers must place their orders with us for the following week by Wednesday each week. Your chosen meals will then be made available for collection the following Monday – Thursday from between 16:00 and 17:00.

The cost for each meal is R70 and include dishes such as these ones for the coming week of 21 January – 24 January 2019.

Monday:
Pasta Alfredo (Penne Pasta) served with Rocket salad.

Tuesday:
Garlic & Parmesan Chicken with Basmati Rice, Sweet pumpkin and baby-marrows.

Wednesday:
Shepherd’s Pie served with Broccoli, cauliflower and mixed garden salad.

Thursday:
Creamy Baked Fish with Lemon, served with rice and fried green beans.

Don’t miss out, order today! You can choose the meals you want and they change each week. Pop in, email tolbos@baviaans.net or call 042 283 0437, but remember to do so by Wednesday each week!

Common Kitchen Hazards

Manual handling

Carrying, lifting, pushing, and other manual handling manoeuvres can, if not done safely, seriously harm the body’s musculoskeletal system.

The Health and Safety Executive reports that over 30% of food and drink industry injuries are mainly musculoskeletal injuries caused by manual handling.

Hazardous manual handling tasks include:

• Lifting boxes and crates of food.
• Pushing or pulling wheeled racks (such as trolleys).
• Carrying pots or stacks of plates.
• Moving equipment.
• Handing containers of drinks.
• Cutting and deboning (meat and poultry).
• Reaching for items on shelves .

Manoeuvring awkward loads with contents that shift, are especially risky, as you usually have to adjust your grip on the move to minimise strain.

Slips, trips, and falls

Kitchens often have numerous slip, trip, and fall risks created by human error, meaning you and others need to focus closely on proper safety practices and housekeeping.

Slip, trip, and fall hazards include:

• Floor contamination, such as spillages of water, sauces, oil, and flour.
• Wet floors from cleaning.
• Obstructions in walkways, including trailing cables, boxes and crates, bins, cleaning equipment, etc.
• Uneven, worn down, or loose flooring.
• Using a ladder to access high pantry shelves.

Improper storage

If not properly stored in shelves and fridges, objects could fall from height onto people, while food could become unsafe to use over time.

Fire and electrical hazards

You regularly use electrical equipment and naked flames in a kitchen. Fire and electricity are serious dangers; they can cause burns and shocks or even ignite a fire.

Click Like below and/ or share this blog

The little town of Patensie lies virtually at the mouth of the Baviaanskloof Mega Reserve. You can find it in the southwestern region of the Eastern Cape. It is only an hour’s drive from Port Elizabeth and even less from Jeffreys Bay & Humansdorp – once you turn off from the N2 national road, the roads remain very well maintained and accessible to all vehicles, in fact, the routes are even popular with motorcycle enthusiasts who enjoy a the odd breakfast run. It is a scenic drive no matter which direction you travel from. Heading towards the Baviaanskloof, it is your last stop before entering the serene wilderness.

Patensie Citrus Orchards

Patensie is largely a citrus producing community, although arguably some of our country’s best peppers, cucumbers, salad and many other types of fresh produce come from this region (including our famous “Patensie Aartapels”). The name “Patensie” is of Khoi origin and means “cattle resting place”. Because of its easy access to the Baviaanskloof, game farms and scenic surroundings, the area has quickly become a destination of note for international and South African tourist’s alike.

Kouga Dam Wall

You can easily see the Cockscomb Mountain from here with its five crests resembling a rooster’s comb. Just 25 kilometres outside of Patensie you will find the Kouga Dam, the lifeblood of the valley.

A 1967 Tunnel at the Kouga Dam

Fantastic picnic spots are available to enjoy as you head towards the dam wall. For those who may find it interesting, the Kouga Dam was the first double-arch dam built in South Africa. Initially called the Paul Sauer Dam, it also supplies Port Elizabeth with most of its water.

Excellent Picnic Spot at the Kouga Dam

Queen Victoria’s bust is also visible in the conglomerate cliffs along the Gamtoos River. You can only see it from the west, so you will need to stop and look back. It is worth mentioning that on the way to Patensie you will pass through the town of Hankey, home to the home to the largest Sundial in the Southern. The Hankey sundial was erected in 1989 at the entrance of the town, right below the Vergaderingskop Mountain. It has an impressive diameter of 34.6 metres with a gnomon (the pole that casts the shadow) of 18 metres. It weighs a hefty one ton.

Hankey Sundial

The easiest way to enjoy your journey, without having to plan too much in advance, is to make a stop here at Tolbos before setting off on one of many rambles through the area. Established in 1988, we have always had a major focus on being a tourist info hub with friendly, knowledgeable staff and a massive choice of free tourism leaflets which contain tons of info about local attractions, guest houses, restaurants, shops and more. If you were enticed with the idea of a picnic, we put together a delightful Picnic basket which you can order in advance and pick up on your way in.

Tolbos | Deli – Bistro – Info

So, if you are looking for something fun to do with the family, as a couple or a group of friends this holiday season, do yourself a favour and make a day or weekend trip of it and head for Patensie. There is something for everyone in or on the way including: 4 x 4 routes, Accommodation, Restaurants, Farm Shops, Bird Watching, Mountain Biking Routes, Citrus Orchards, Kouga Dam, Gamtoos River, Golf Course, Hiking Trails, Picnic Spots, Gorgeous Scenery, the Friendliest People in the Gamtoos Valley and more!

Eat, See, Do, Fall in love.

Did you enjoy reading that?

Click Like below and/ or share this story with your friends: