1. A food product comprising:
a portion of cheese configured in an individual, elongated, substantially cylindrical, multi-dimensional shape; and
a batter and bread coating uniformly encasing the portion of cheese, with the coating composed of a plurality of ingredients suitable for heating without a cheese blowout and comprising at least 55%, by weight, of the food product, wherein the coating is composed of at least two different batters and wherein the multi-dimensional shape includes a twist along the longitudinal length of the portion of cheese.
2. The food product of claim 1, wherein heating includes par frying.
3. The food product of claim 1, wherein the coating further includes a natural wheat flour which has been heat treated.
4. The food product of claim 1, wherein the portion of cheese is a mozzarella.
5. The food product of claim 1, further comprising a food ingredient dispersed in the portion of cheese.
6. The food product of claim 5, wherein the food ingredient is from a group consisting of beef, pork, chicken, turkey, vegetable, flavors, seasoning, condiments, stabilizers, and a combination of any two such food ingredients.
7. A food product comprising:
a portion of cheese configured in an individual, elongated, substantially cylindrical, multi-dimensional shape; and
a batter and bread coating composed of at least two different batters uniformly extending the length of and encasing the portion of cheese, with the coating further composed of a plurality of ingredients suitable for heating without a cheese blowout.
8. The food product of claim 7, wherein the multi-dimensional shape includes a twist along the longitudinal length of the portion of cheese.
9. The food product of claim 7, wherein heating includes deep frying.
10. The food product of claim 7, wherein the coating comprises at least 55%, by weight, of the food product.
11. The food product of claim 7, wherein the coating further includes a natural wheat flour which has been heat treated.
12. The food product of claim 7, wherein the portion of cheese is a mozzarella.
13. The food product of claim 7, further comprising a food ingredient dispersed in the portion of cheese.
14. The food product of claim 13, wherein the food ingredient is from a group consisting of beef, pork, chicken, turkey, vegetable, flavors, seasoning, condiments, stabilizers, and a combination of any two such food ingredients.
15. A method of making a food product comprising:
providing a quantity of cheese;
grinding the cheese;
extruding the ground cheese to create an elongated substrate;
shaping the elongated substrate into an individual, elongated multi-dimensional shape and further comprising forming a twist along the longitudinal length of the portion of cheese;
applying a uniform coating to the multi-dimensional shape;
spraying a clear coat layer to the coated shape;
freezing the clear coat layered coated shape with a quick freeze process; and
packaging the individual quick frozen coated shaped food product.
16. The method of making a food product of claim 15, the step of applying the coating further comprising:
applying a first batter to the shape, the first batter including an amount of wheat gluten;
applying a first predust to the batter coated shape;
applying a second batter to the batter coated shape, the second batter including the wheat gluten;
applying a second predust to the batter coated shape;
applying a third batter to the batter coated shape, the third batter including the wheat gluten; and
applying a breading to the batter coated shape.
17. The method of making a food product of claim 15, further comprising a step of par frying the coated shape before spraying the clear coat layer.
18. The method of making a food product of claim 15, further comprising steps of providing food ingredients and mixing the food ingredients with the ground cheese.
19. The method of making a food product of claim 18, wherein the ingredients are selected from a group consisting of processed cheese, meat, fish, vegetables, flavors, seasoning, condiments, stabilizers, and a combination of any two such ingredients.
20. The method of making a food product of claim 15, wherein the coating comprises at least 55%, by weight, of the food product.
21. The method of making a food product of claim 15, wherein the portion of cheese is a mozzarella.
22. The method of making a food product of claim 15, wherein the coating includes natural heat treated wheat flour.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
What is claimed is:
1. A transfer terminal comprises:
a storage structure bounding a chamber, the chamber being adapted to receive bulk material;
a first surge bin at least partially disposed within the chamber of the storage structure;
a tunnel wall bounding a passageway extending through or below at least a portion of the storage structure, the tunnel being adapted to receive a transport vehicle; and
an opening formed in the tunnel wall so as to provide communication between the first surge bin and the passageway.
2. A transfer terminal as recited in claim 1, wherein the storage structure has a domed shaped configuration.
3. A transfer terminal as recited in claim 1, wherein the first surge bin is fully disposed within the chamber of the storage structure.
4. A transfer terminal as recited in claim 1, wherein the tunnel wall transversely extends completely across the storage structure.
5. A transfer terminal as recited in claim 1, further comprising a weight scale disposed within or below the passageway of the tunnel wall.
6. A transfer terminal as recited in claim 1, further comprising a flow control valve disposed between the first surge bin and the passageway of the tunnel wall.
7. A transfer terminal as recited in claim 1, further comprising means for transferring bulk material from within the chamber but outside of the first surge bin to within the first surge bin.
8. A transfer terminal as recited in claim 7, wherein the means for transferring bulk material comprises a transfer pod in communication with the first surge bin.
9. A transfer terminal as recited in claim 7, wherein the means for transferring bulk material comprises a bucket elevator.
10. A transfer terminal as recited in claim 9, wherein at least a portion of the bucket elevator is disposed within the storage structure.
11. A transfer terminal as recited in claim 9, further comprising a convey belt configured to feed bulk material from the chamber of the storage structure to the bucket elevator.
12. A transfer terminal as recited in claim 7, wherein the means for transferring bulk material comprises a vertical auger at least partially disposed within the chamber of the storage structure.
13. A transfer terminal as recited in claim 1, wherein the storage structure comprises a floor, at least a portion of the floor slopes toward the tunnel wall on each side of the tunnel wall.
14. A transfer terminal as recited in claim 1, further comprising a second surge bin at least partially disposed within the chamber of the storage structure, the second surge bin being in communication with the passageway of the tunnel wall.
15. A transfer terminal as recited in claim 1, wherein the chamber of the storage structure has a volume of at least 1,000 cubic meters.
16. A transfer terminal comprising:
a storage structure bounding a chamber, the chamber being adapted to receive bulk material;
a first surge bin at least partially disposed within the chamber of the storage structure;
means for transferring bulk material from within the chamber but outside of the first surge bin to within the first surge bin; and
a passageway extending through or below at least a portion of the storage structure, the first surge bin being in communication with the passageway.
17. A transfer terminal as recited in claim 16, wherein the storage structure has a domed shaped configuration.
18. A transfer terminal as recited in claim 16, wherein the first surge bin is fully disposed within the chamber of the storage structure.
19. A transfer terminal as recited in claim 16, wherein the passageway is bounded by a tunnel wall that transversely extends completely across the storage structure.
20. A transfer terminal as recited in claim 16, further comprising a weight scale disposed within or below the passageway.
21. A transfer terminal as recited in claim 16, wherein the passageway is configured to receive a rail car or a truck.
22. A transfer terminal as recited in claim 16, further comprising a flow control valve coupled with the surge bin so as to control the flow of bulk material from the surge bin to the passageway.
23. A transfer terminal as recited in claim 16, wherein the means for transferring bulk material comprises a transfer pod in communication with the first surge bin.
24. A transfer terminal as recited in claim 16, wherein the means for transferring bulk material comprises a bucket elevator at least partially disposed within the chamber of the storage structure.
25. A transfer terminal as recited in claim 24, further comprising a convey belt configured to feed bulk material from the chamber of the storage structure to the bucket elevator.
26. A transfer terminal as recited in claim 16, wherein the means for transferring bulk material comprises a vertical auger at least partially disposed within the chamber of the storage structure.
27. A transfer terminal as recited in claim 16, further comprising a second surge bin at least partially disposed within the chamber of the storage structure, the second surge bin being in communication with the passageway.
28. A transfer terminal as recited in claim 16, wherein the chamber of the storage structure has a volume of at least 50,000 cubic meters.
29. A method for operating a transfer terminal, the method comprising:
delivering bulk material into a chamber of a storage structure so that a surge bin at least partially disposed within the chamber is at least partially filled with the bulk material;
dispensing bulk material from the surge bin so that a first portion of the bulk material disposed within the chamber outside of the surge bin freely flows under the force of gravity into the surge bin; and
mechanically transferring a second portion of the bulk material into the surge bin, the second portion of the bulk material being disposed at a location within the chamber outside of the surge bin so that the second portion cannot freely flow under the force of gravity into the surge bin.
30. A method as recited in claim 29, wherein the act of dispensing comprises dispensing the bulk material from the surge bin to a transport vehicle disposed below or within the storage structure.
31. A method as recited in claim 30, wherein the transport vehicle is a rail cart or truck.
32. A method as recited in claim 30, wherein the transport vehicle is disposed within a passageway bounded by a tunnel wall.
33. A method as recited in claim 29, wherein the act of mechanically transferring the second portion of the bulk material into the surge bin comprises passing the second portion of the bulk material through a transfer pod to the surge bin.
34. A method as recited in claim 29, wherein the act of mechanically transferring the second portion of the bulk material into the surge bin comprises raising the second portion of the bulk material in a bucket elevator to the surge bin.
35. A method as recited in claim 29, wherein the act of mechanically transferring the second portion of the bulk material into the surge bin comprises raising the second portion of the bulk material in a vertical auger to the surge bin.
36. A method for loading a transport vehicle at a transfer terminal, the method comprising:
positioning a transport vehicle having a discrete holding compartment into a tunnel extending below or within a storage structure, the storage structure bounding a compartment having surge bin at least partially disposed therein;
dispensing bulk material from the surge bin to the holding compartment of the transport vehicle while the transport vehicle is within the tunnel; and
removing the transport vehicle from the tunnel.
37. A method as recited in claim 36, wherein the transport vehicle comprises a rail cart or a truck.
38. A method as recited in claim 36, wherein the tunnel transversely extends completely across the storage structure.