I had a lot of running around to do this morning. I was up much later than usual which made me late doing everything.  I had a really busy evening last night which meant that my brain didn't want to stop when I went to bed, and so it took me longer than usual to settle down.

That meant I fell asleep later and didn't get up until about an hour and a half past my usual time.  I had lots of errands to do this morning as well.

 

 

 

Now this is just my opinion, and you are free to disagree with me.  When it comes to sandwiches, such as tuna salad, cucumber, egg salad, or tomato for that matter, you don't want an artisanal bread.  You want a nice soft white bread.

These are somewhat delicate fillings and I think they get lost in sturdier types of bread. You can go whole wheat if you must, but stay away from artisanal types. Save those for your heartier fillings or for sandwiches that you are going to grill.

 

I will be the first one to put my hand up and declare that I am a tinned tuna fish snob. I never, never, never buy the cheap stuff. I just don't like it. It has an inferior flavor in my opinion.

I only ever buy albacore white tuna, and wild if I can get it.

Albacore is a light-fleshed tuna increasingly found in attractively labeled jars and retro tins with extra virgin olive oil. It comes in larger chunks than skipjack, has a subtle, delicate flavor and drier, meaty texture. You can also find it packed in water.

For tuna salad that I am going to use in a sandwich, I use the tuna packed in water.

 

If I am making something like a classic tuna salad, I want to use the best tuna that my money can buy and for me, albacore is the way to go.  

Classic tuna salad in my opinion contains very few ingredients, no bells and whistles.  Just a good GOOD tuna, some good quality mayonnaise, minced onion, diced celery, salt, pepper and a smidgen of fresh lemon juice.

 

That's it. Nothing more. Nothing less. I know loads of people like to dolly it up by adding other bits and bobs.  Dice olives, cheese, etc.  My mom always added sweet pickle relish.

For me, I don't need all the bells and whistles. I am going to get absolute pleasure from the simplicity of this classic tuna salad, on white bread.  

 

This is so, so, so delicious, it really doesn't need anything else.  If I was doing a tuna melt, I might add some olives, or pickle, but for a cold sandwich such as this one, these simple ingredients are all I need.

The lemon juice adds a nice bit of tang and freshness, but that is as outlandish as you want to go in my humble opinion.

 

   

  WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE A CLASSIC TUNA SALAD

Its all in the quality of ingredients used.  Simple yes, but the best quality available, or that you can afford.

• 1 (5 oz/150g) tin of white albacore tuna packed in water, well drained
• 3 TBS good quality mayonnaise (I like Hellmans)
• 1 stalk of celery, trimmed and finely diced
• 1/2 TBS finely minced red onion
• 1 tsp fresh lemon juice
• salt and black pepper to taste

 

This is very old school and totally comforting in my opinion.  You will get nicely filled sandwiches from this filling, or if you would rather, you can serve it scooped onto a bed of lettuce, with some crackers on the side.

You can add a simple slice of processed cheese, butter the outside of the sandwich and toast it in a skillet on both sides to make a simple tuna melt.  This is also very old school.

 

Just look at how lovely that filling is. Just enough color and crunch. Not soggy in the least.  Ample filling for a simple sandwich.

I hate it when people skimp on sandwich fillings.  A good sandwich should have a generous filling and that filling should be spread right to the edges of the bread.  Anything less is a sacrilege. 

This has just enough filling. Not so much that it is messy or falling out, but enough so that you have a proper mix of bread and filling.  Yes, I do butter my bread.  This helps to keep the bread from becoming soggy, especially if it is going to sit for a while.

Not that my sandwich had any hazard today of sitting for a while.   It was gobbled up as soon as I had finished taking the photographs.  I savored every mouthful.

It was well worth waiting for, and I have enough filling left in the refrigerator to make myself another one tomorrow. I might toast that one. We will see.

This one went down a real treat with some crisp pickle slices on the side.  My sister and I discovered Oh Snap Dilly Bites at our local farm market.  If you are a fan of dill pickles I say snap them up if you see them.  They are an excellent snack. Crisp and beautifully flavored. They went very well with my sandwich today!

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Classic Tuna Salad

Yield: 2

Author: Marie Rayner

Prep time: 5 MinTotal time: 5 Min

This classic sandwich filling never fails to please. Use the best tuna you can afford to buy.

Ingredients

• 1 (5 oz/150g) tin of albacore tuna, packed in water
• 3 TBS good quality mayonnaise (I use Hellman's)
• 1 stalk of celery, trimmed and chopped
• 1/2 TBS finely diced red onion
• 1 tsp fresh lemon juice
• salt and black pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Open the tuna and drain it really well. (I press the lid against the tuna in the tin and squeeze as hard as I can, over the sink, so that as much water is removed as possible. This way you won't get a soggy sandwich filling.)
2. Flake the tuna into a bowl. Mash it up with a fork. Add the celery, onion, lemon juice, mayonnaise, salt and pepper. Stir together well to combine. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper as per your taste.
3. Place into a covered container and chill until needed, or use immediately.

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A Piece of Cake: 5 Easy Ways to Start a Career as a Baker

Contrary to popular misconceptions, the baker profession is quite versatile and diverse. It is one of the oldest trades, going back several millennia. It is part profession, part skill and part art – a successful baker is as much an artist as he (or she) is a craftsman (or craftswoman). Being a professional baker involves quite a lot of challenges and hard work, but it can bring great satisfaction too. After all, your products will bring people joy and will be associated with great times and wonderful memories.

Nowadays, there are numerous directions that a baker’s career can go – baking operative, artisan baker, craft baker, industrial baker, baking business owner, you name it. Even if you start work at a biscuit factory at first, with the right training and experience, you can eventually become a production manager. In the modern restaurant and food industries, there are countless settings where a baker’s skills and know-how are needed and valued.

But how does one go about starting a career as a baker? And furthermore, what are the best ways to enter the trade and start gaining experience and developing as a professional? Assuming you have already completed at least some secondary education, here are several ways, with tips and recommendations:

Photo by Nadya Spetnitskaya on Unsplash

1.       Work Towards the Role

While this seems like a no-brainer, it arguably involves the most persistence and hard work. You can easily find a job at a place that involves baking to a certain degree – a specialized shop, supermarket, or food production plant. The advantage is that you need no prior education or training, even a high school diploma is not mandatory in many places. You are sure to get the basic training from your employer, free of charge.

However, this approach has numerous setbacks. Firstly, you will learn all there is to learn rather quickly, as these roles usually involve a limited amount of knowledge and skills. Second, all the operations will be fairly simple and repetitive, which means you will get bored, sooner rather than later. And thirdly, there are very few opportunities to get a promotion and advance your career towards your final goal, potentially turning this path into a dead end. 

2.       Take a Baker Apprenticeship

While working at a store or supermarket will earn you very basic baking skills, opting for a baker apprenticeship with an artisan bakery or cake shop will teach more complicated stuff, like baking techniques and how to bake cakes. But greater rewards also imply greater commitment – an apprenticeship usually takes one to three years to complete. Furthermore, there are some entry requirements as well. For an intermediate apprenticeship, you will need some GCSEs, usually including English and Maths. For and advanced apprenticeship, you will need 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English and Maths.

This path can lead you towards becoming a baker’s assistant, and eventually a full-fledged baker. 

3.       Enrol to a Technical or Cooking School

If you decide to take your game to another level, you can invest in a program at a technical or cooking school. These programs will teach you both the skills and the science behind the craft, including cooking techniques, nutrition, recipe calculations, kitchen management and even chemistry. Plus, your new education will probably help you find your niche in the baking business and become specialized in it, which will eventually let you earn more while doing what you love best.

A program usually lasts between one and two years. Admission requirements are 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English and Maths. Please be aware that there is always a course fee involved.

4.       Take a College Course

This path involves even more commitment than the previous one, both financially and timewise. But a college course will also open up a lot more opportunities for your long-term career, by giving you more knowledge and also helping you access upper-tier employers and jobs. Relevant college courses include Bakery (Level 2), Hospitality and Catering (Level 2), as well as Professional Bakery (Level 3). You will need 2 or more GCSEs at grades 9 to 3 (A* to D) for a Level 2 course, and 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C) for a Level 3 course.

Photo by DDP on Unsplash

5.       Get Certified

Regardless of your level of formal education, the most prestigious professional recognition for a baker, is to get certified. This is in no way mandatory, but it will showcase your skillset and knowledge to the whole world, being recognized throughout the industry as a standard for excellence. Plus, it will help you gain more self-confidence and creative freedom. There are several levels of certification, each with its own set of requirements: 

·     Certified Journey Baker (CJB) – requires a minimum of one year of verifiable commercial baking experience, or a minimum of one year combination of education and commercial baking work experience, of which at least one thousand hours must be work experience. It involves passing a written test with a score of at least 75 percent. 

·     Certified Baker (CB) – requires completion of a 30-hour sanitation course, as well as a minimum of four years of verifiable full-time commercial baking experience, or a CJB plus three years of baking experience. Besides the written test, there is also a one-day practical test. 

·     Certified Master Baker (CMB) – requires you to have achieved the CB certification, plus an additional three years of verifiable full-time commercial baking experience, as well as a total of 30 contact hours of professional development courses in supervision or bakery management and production. Again, you need to pass both a written and a practical test.