This recipe standardization assignment was an important learning experience for the Institutional Foodservice II class. In any foodservice setting, a recipe is not appropriate for use until it is standardized by that particular institution. Preparation methods and ingredients need to be altered for the quantity of the recipe, the skill of the workers, budget, time, equipment, and various other factors. Once these are taken into account, as discovered through this assignment, the recipe can be considered standardized and ready to be used.
Through this project, our group became acquainted with the various obstacles in large quantity food preparation and recipe modification. It was critical to experience all aspects of recipe standardization, including preparation and evaluation, because we may face the same tasks in our future careers.
Our target audience was our fellow members of Grace SLO. We thought the Savory Lentil Stew would be perfect for them, as it is a familiar taste with a somewhat unfamiliar ingredient- lentils.
After analyzing the feedback we received from our test group, we came to the following conclusions:
1) The most positive aspect of the recipe was the taste, and people enjoyed a hint of heat from the cayenne pepper.
2) Most negative feedback came from the size of the portions. Our recipe made 48- 1/2 cup portions, but due to our limited crock-pot space, we could only hand out 1/4 cup portions. People generally liked the lentils and wished they could have more. If we were serving this again and had the capacity, a 1/2 cup to 3/4 cup serving would be more appropriate.
3)One thing that would be difficult to improve upon would be the appearance of the lentils. In our attempts to make them appealing, we added parsley for garnish. It helped a little, but some people were still hesitant to try this dish. Perhaps if the lentils could be served in ceramic bowls, that would make it more appealing.
4) Keeping the lentils hot was vital to good feedback from the "temp" category. Our crock pots helped keep them warm, but some lentils had a longer in-transit time and therefore were served lukewarm. Next time, we could serve them in smaller batches so they stayed at an appropriate temperature.
