6 Tips to Help You Hire the Right Caterer for Your Event

Posted on March 4, 2018 by Francis Pitt

If you’re in charge of arranging the food for your upcoming corporate event, you’ll need to find corporate event caterers. An online search can help you find the right team. As you search for a caterer, look for companies that have a good review for catering services. If pictures of past events are available, you will be given an idea of what each company is potentially able to offer.

Find corporate event caterers

Before choosing a catering company, you should decide which type of cuisine or food service you want to have. According to FFT Caterers, there are several types of catering services. Many events feature a plated dining experience, where servers bring plates to your seat. However, many corporate events feature a full service buffet, which places all the event’s food decisions and service in the hands of the caterers.

Creative catering menu

If your company requests a creative catering menu, be sure the caterer can accommodate that request. For example, a company may want a menu that promotes a new product and uses that product’s shape or color in the food choices. Other companies may use a popular TV show or movie to give shape and creative names to the dishes.

No matter what kind of party or event you are planning, the food that you serve can have a big impact on how successful it is. If you talk to the best event planners, they will tell you that finding the right companies for your events and catering can make a big difference in what people who attend say about it after it is over. Here are some tips to getting the right professional catering services company for your event.

Make sure they have experience catering the kind of event you are throwing. Anyone with any experience dealing with events and catering services companies will tell you that the food catering menus for weddings are very different than those for Sweet 16 parties, corporate events, or retirement parties. You need to find a caterer who has experience dealing with the kind of event you are throwing. As you are talking to caterers, you should make it a point to talk to at least three companies and make sure they are able to do the kind of event you want to throw.
Know what you want. It is hard for a catering company to give you what you want is if you are not sure what exactly you do want from them. Spend some time thinking about your event, what kinds of catering are best for that kind of event, and what you are going to want to serve. When you talk to events and catering companies, knowing what you want is the first step you need to take to get what you want.
Make sure the caterer you choose is willing to answer your questions. When it comes to hiring a caterer for a big event. You will have a lot of questions. If a company is not willing to take the time to answer all of them before you hire them, you can be pretty sure they are not going to take the time to do so afterward. You should look for a company that is responsive to your needs and available to answer your questions when you have them.
Make sure you can get the cuisine you want. Some caterers make really great food but can be very rigid when it comes to the event menus. This is your event so you should have the final say in what kinds of dishes that are served. You may have people who will attend who have religious preferences when it comes to what they eat and also may have dietary restrictions due to food allergies. Your goal with your catering is to have food that will be enjoyed by the people attending your event. If the events and catering company will not work with you on the menu, you should keep looking.
Make sure you can taste before you buy. There are a lot of caterers who will provide you with tastings of the foods they offer. This is a great way to see what you think of the food the company can make. There are some companies who will not do this and there are some people who are scared to ask. Some party planners think that they will be considered to be a “difficult” consumer. This is not true and is a normal way catering companies do business. Doing the tastings can be one of the more enjoyable parts of planning a large event.
Make sure they have experience working with the venue you have selected. Some venues require people use the caterer they have on site, so you should ask this before you start talking to outside catering companies. If you can bring in your own food, make sure the caterer has some experience working with the venue. If it is a new place, they may not but may still have a good idea of how to get the job done. The last thing you need is to find out on the day of your event that the caterer cannot work with the venue.

When you are planning any kind of event, picking the right caterer is just one of many details you have to worry about. These tips should help.

The Basics Of Beekeeping What Goes Into The Creation Of A Single Grocery Store Honey Bear

Posted on March 3, 2018 by Francis Pitt

Honey is delicious. It goes great with so many recipes and works as a great alternative to sugar. It isn’t, however, easy to make.

Both bees and beekeeper have to put in a lot of effort just to create one of the iconic honey bears in the average grocery store. The art of maintaining beehives is an old practice that has benefited greatly from modern technology, but that doesn’t mean classic techniques have no place in today’s beehive. In fact, it’s the blending of the old and new that often delivers the best results. Beekeeping for beginners is more than possible with a little research. Let’s take a look at what goes into creating edible honey, as well as some of the lesser-known uses for honey in day-to-day life.

Did You Know?

Let’s look at some interesting facts concerning bee pollen. Believe it or not, honey is actually an acid, with a pH balance between 3.2 and 4.5 on average. A single pellet of bee pollen contains over two million grains of flower pollen. While honey is a classic American staple, after 2006 came and went the retail price of honey has nearly doubled. This is due to a few different factors, including the labor that goes into creating honey bears as well as the struggling population of honeybees in many parts of the country. A honey bee can fly up to 15 miles per hour and bee populations boast societies nearly as complex as some primate societies.

Beekeeping Basics

What goes into the creation of honey? Let’s break it down from the top. Bees are pollinators and responsible for cross-pollination, which helps as much as 30% of our crops as well as 90% of wild plants thrive. They take pollen from one flower to the next, helping them flourish while bringing ingredients back to the hive to create the honey we know and love. Beekeepers work with hives to encourage them to create hearty amounts of honey while helping them long and healthy lifespans. This includes upkeep, harvesting, cleaning, advertising and production.

Organic Bee Pollen Benefits

There are many wonderful uses found in bee pollen. Look around your average grocery store or drug store and you’ll likely find a few products right off the bat that use bulk honey or pollen in some form. Beeswax is commonly used in skincare products for its soothing results and ability to keep dryness at bay, whether it’s used in chapstick or applied to the hands and feet during the winter season. Honey is sometimes combined with other natural ingredients, such as avocado or cucumber, to create face masks to reduce blemishes, acne and dryness on the face.

Useful Beekeeping Equipment

No beekeeper should be without basic beekeeping equipment. Stings are always a potential factor when interacting with bees and those with allergies need to take extra care to make sure they’re always covered no matter what. The bee hive smoker is a necessary tool to calm bees down without harming them, as the smoke makes them sluggish and far more receptive to having their honey harvested. Other basic equipment also includes standard jackets, gloves and masks so you can move unimpeded throughout your bee colony.

The Future Of American Honey

A single honey bee will produce one twelfth of a teaspoon of honey in its lifetime. While that doesn’t seem like very much, this is a great way to appreciate the collective efforts of these little workers that make our world such a wonderful place to live. Back in 2014 there were an estimated two and a half million honeybee colonies in the United States alone, which is nothing to say of the number of colonies managed by human beings in general. With care and awareness we can ensure these famous honey bears will remain forever on our shelves without damage to the environment.

How will you cultivate your very own honey bears?

Peanuts How They Can Improve Your Diet

Posted on February 28, 2018 by Francis Pitt

Do you know all there is about one of your favorite foods – peanuts? If you’re looking for a high protein snack, one of the first things you might reach for is peanut snacks, something that the whole family enjoys. Maybe you want to know more about peanut allergies or how peanuts are affecting many American’s diets on a daily basis. Today we will take a closer look at these nuts and why they are so beloved by many Americans. Some peanut facts will change the way you see your favorite snack.

Here’s some peanut history for you: Peanut butter was first introduced at the World Fair in St. Louis, year 1904. Ever since then, people have been enjoying peanut butter benefits from this great food that we feed our children and ourselves when we’re looking for something easy and delicious on the go. Peanuts and peanut butter are terrific for your health. In fact, peanut calories are quite low and just a 1-ounce serving of peanuts is considered an excellent protein source. In fact, just one little handful can add 7 grams of protein to your diet. Studies were conducted on those who love to enjoy peanuts and found that, in 15,000 people who ate peanut products, there were raised levels of vitamin A, E, folate, magnesium and other beneficial vitamins than those who do not eat these products. In some ways, peanuts are leading to a healthier lifestyle for many.

You can use peanuts in a variety of ways. You can make them in trail mix, use peanut oil for frying, and many other wonderful dishes where they are added as a staple. For those who are not allergic, we can’t get enough of peanuts. That’s another thing we want to look at: the dreaded peanut allergy. Some people are unable to eat peanuts because they are allergic. However, you may be surprised to find that 98% of children and adults in the U.S. can safely enjoy products that contain peanuts. These allergies are not as common as you think. With about 94% of Americans having peanut butter in their pantry, this is good news.

No matter how you use peanuts, from snacks that you love, to homemade peanut butter or peanut oil for frying some of your favorite foods, we recommend adding peanuts to your diet. You will love to reap the many benefits.

Show Your Employees How Much You Appreciate Them With a Catered Gourmet Lunch

Posted on February 18, 2018 by Francis Pitt

Every year, there are millions of events and meetings organized by various companies and organizations throughout the United States. To be a bit more exact, this amounts to approximately 18 million events on an annual basis. These include staff meetings, weekend conferences, and other important events, such as employee appreciation days.

While some companies may host these types of events on a regular basis, others may not. There are so many benefits to doing so, as these types of events can make a significant difference in employee engagement and morale. Furthermore, when a company is experiencing a high turnover rate, this may be one of the major reasons.

The Benefits of Team-Building Events

When companies have strong leadership, it can make a significant difference with employee engagement. According to a 2015 Gallup study, engaged leaders have the ability to increase employee engagement by roughly 39%.

Team-building exercises have been proven to assist employees with connecting to their employer as well as their colleagues. The Gallup study revealed that when employees are engaged, a company’s overall performance can increase up to 200% when compared to its counterparts without engaged employees.

The Benefits of Employee Appreciation Events

Worker happiness can be increased when companies also have employee recognition and appreciation events. A recent report revealed that 86% of the companies that did initiate one of these programs noted that their employees were happier. Furthermore, it’s important to note the importance of celebrating accomplishments. A Globoforce report found that when employees didn’t celebrate their accomplishments with co-workers, that they were 74% more likely to leave their positions.

The Benefits of Company Parties

At some point throughout the year, employee morale may need a boost. The career network, Beyond, conducted a survey with 3,600 job seekers. According to the results of this survey, 74% of the participants stated that company holiday parties made a difference in overall morale. In fact, these types of events actually boosted morale.

The Benefits of Using an Executive Catering Service

When you’re involved with an event planning committee, you know the importance of providing excellent meals and snacks for the attendees. This is where executive catering services comes in. When you use a professional executive catering service, you’ll be able to ensure that you have a variety of choices to address the dietary needs and/or restrictions of some of your attendees.

According to a Dinova survey, 78% of the participating corporations stated that they had vegetarian options at their events. Gluten-free options were also provided at corporate events according to 64% of the participants. In addition to catered brunch, gourmet lunch catering is also available for a variety of corporate events. When you use the services of an executive catering company, you and the other committee members will be able to focus your energy on organizing your event’s activities.

Coffee The Most Popular Drink In America

Posted on February 2, 2018 by Francis Pitt

Any business owner that wants to get the most out of their employees should definitely go out of their way to get a coffee machine for the office. Right now there is no drink that is more popular in the United States than coffee. As a matter of fact, coffee is something that many people believe helps them stay focused and it is a go-to drink for people who want to wake up in the morning.

Just about 54% of all adults over the age of 18 states that they drink coffee nearly every single day. So there is just one stat line that points to the potential benefits of coffee in the workplace. Buying a coffee machine for the office will be a popular move and many workers will enjoy having a coffee machine at their place of work.

An average coffee drinker in the United States has stated that they will consume nearly 3 cups of coffee each day. This just goes to show how popular this drink is amongst people who like coffee. So again, if you want to make your workers happy so they work harder for you then get that coffee machine for the office.

There have been studies conducted about coffee and the caffeine inside of coffee. These studies have revealed that 200 mg of caffeine can help you identify words and phrases faster than you could do without coffee. Right now just about 46% of all workers have stated that when they drink coffee at work, they are more likely to be productive all throughout the day!

Information released by the Food and Drug Administration in the United States has revealed that the caffeine in coffee is absorbed and circulated within 30 minutes to an hour; its effect can last up to six hours. Coffee enhances the energy levels of your brain, improving concentration and memory retention, leading to better cognitive performance. So getting a coffee machine for the office will really help your employees stay focused on the job.

A commercial coffee maker is a great way to get your employees jumping. If they have access to an office coffee maker or a coffee machine for the office then your employees will be productive all day every day! One cup of coffee represents a contribution of 1.8 grams of fiber.

A study conducted by the Harvard School of Public Health found that women who drink four or more cups of coffee per day were 20% less likely to suffer from depression. Moderate consumption of coffee can reduce the risk of developing colorectal cancer by 26%. According to the 2017 National Coffee Drinking Trends report, 62% of respondents said they had drunk coffee the previous day.

In Conclusion

There are plenty of benefits that come along with buying a coffee machine for the office that employees can use at all times. They will be able to be alert at the start of their day and at the end of their day as well. So when people become tired after lunch then they will be able to get a nice jump start!

What Your Favorite Type Of Beer Says About Your Personality

Posted on January 9, 2018 by Francis Pitt

What does your favorite type of beer say about you? You may not think much of it, but alcohol is deeply intertwined with our personality and can really bring out the best in us. Whether it’s sipping a cold beer among friends at your favorite downtown bar or mixing up a fun drink to impress a date before you Netflix and chill, a good buzz can perk up just about anyone. The United States, just like any other country, has its own unique take on alcohol. This translates into an insulated growler that can be taken on a camping trip without a drop in temperature or quality beer gifts from independent breweries that can’t be replicated anywhere else.

If you want to know if an insulated growler or beer carbonation chart could make a great gift for a friend or family member, the list below is for you.

They Appreciate The Change In The Seasons

Some live in a very consistent climate. When the seasons change, it’s subtle and very easy to overlook. Others get to experience the full might of spring, summer, fall and winter. A study on craft beer consumers in the United States found nearly 85% of respondents saying they like to choose their beer depending on what season it is. This can translate into a light lemon beer for the summer, a dry cider for the fall or a hearty ale for the winter. Pumpkin spice is a fantastic flavor to herald the arrival of October and more people than ever are starting to appreciate the subtle sweetness of honey and apple.

They Prefer To Drink With Friends, Family Or Co-Workers

A good way to know if an insulated growler will make a keen gift is whether or not the person in question is a fan of social drinking. The vast majority of people much prefer to drink with good company and a great way to breathe life into any party is to look into awesome growlers that can hold a heavy load. A recent study on American consumers aged 21 years or older found the average regular drinker consuming 27 gallons of beer or cider during 2015. Another Gallup poll conducted back in 2016 saw 40% of legal drinkers preferring beer over wine or spirits.

They Like To Appreciate And Promote Local Businesses

The American craft beer market is worth nearly $24 billion and is home to some of the most talented and experienced artisans in the world. Over 85% of all the beer produced in the country is done domestically and a great vacation idea for the frequent drinker is to stop by popular cities on the West and East coast to try out all the local varieties. Small and independent craft brewers represent a hefty 12% of the market share and your best beer growler will supplement special blends quite well.

They Are A Huge Beer Lover And Want To Decorate Their Home

It’s easy to find some good beer gifts if you have a friend or family member with a favorite brand. This way you can not just get them a 64 ounce growler to introduce at their next party, you can supplement it with additional gifts to round out the gesture. Guinness, for example, is well-known throughout the world for its frothy top and devoted fanbase. Try finding a growler beer that can compliment a beautiful poster, a pair of classy mugs or a bottle cap remover.

How To Find The Best Custom Growlers

The best beer growler should be made of a sturdy material, able to withstand repeated trips throughout the party, the van and the sink. Some are stainless steel, while others are made out of glass. This can translate to a personal aesthetic, particularly if you have a friend who loves a beautiful design. Remember that an insulated growler should have a strong lid to avoid sudden spills. The insulated growler is especially popular for those that won’t drink their beer unless it’s delightfully cold.

Americans love their beer. Show your friend how much you know by getting them a gift with repeat value.

The Buzz About Beekeeping

Posted on January 1, 2018 by Francis Pitt

Are you interested in beekeeping? The USDA reports that as of 2014, the number of colonies managed by human beekeepers was at the highest it has been in 20 years. Beekeeping has many benefits and for some is a hobby and others a money-making venture. In addition to the good taste of local raw honey, it helps you overcome local, seasonal allergies. You can use the beeswax to create lip gloss, candles, and even yummy gummy bears. If you are looking for a beautiful and bountiful garden, bees are pollinators and are responsible for cross-pollination allowing your vegetables and flowers to thrive. Lastly, Americans consume about 1.3 pounds of honey per person per year; aside from a fun hobby, beekeeping can turn into a profitable business.

When searching for used beekeeping supplies, there are plenty of websites selling supplies and offering advice. However, check your local city for beekeeping colonies that are willing to sell used beekeeping supplies but also share their knowledge to help you get started on this journey.

BEEKEEPING EQUIPMENT

For the beginner beekeeper, there are necessary beekeeper supplies to purchase. You can choose brand new equipment or look online for used beekeeping supplies.

Bee Hive Smoker – to settle and calm bees when checking the hives; any size will work, but the larger size is easier to use.

Protective Gear – gear to protect you like a veil, jacket, and beekeeping gloves.

Hive tool – a tool to help split or separate hives. Any flat bar will work, or a flat head screwdriver will work if you are on a budget.

Bee brush – to gently and harmlessly brush bees from a surface.

Queen Catcher – makes catching the queen easier and is a lot gentler on the queen.

Beekeeping Hives – for bees to do their work and live.

Bottom Board – wooden stand on which hive boxes rests.

5 THINGS TO WATCH OUT FOR WITH YOUR NEW BEEHIVE

Assessing colony health based only on the level of bee traffic – it is recommended new beekeepers inspect their hives once every two to four weeks but no more than that as the process of opening the hive is stressful for bees. Some beehives have windows to view bee activity, but this also causes stress for the bees as well, so use sparingly.

Not recognizing queenlessness – a beehive can?t survive without its queen, but it may not become obvious to a beginner beekeeper that the queen bee is no longer alive. If a colony loses its queen, the hive?s population will decline, there will be a lack of eggs, lack of young larvae, and then the colony will have no brood at all. To confirm if you have an active queen, keep an eye out for eggs, if your queen is active then she?s laying eggs.

Harvesting honey too early or taking too much from the beehive – As a general rule, don?t take honey from a colony in its first year. Wait until year two when they?ve built up a good reserve. Often bees aren?t strong enough yet to make an excess amount, and they need every drop they have to make it through winter.

Not feeding new colonies – When you buy a package of bees in the spring, you must feed them as they are not used to being fed. Package bees are confused, weak, and have no honey and take at least a month of consistent feeding to get them on their feet. If you do not do this, you?ll likely lose them and your investment in the fall.

Leaving out frames or placing empty supers – bees will build comb in any empty space you give them. Beehive hardware is designed to keep bees building only in the spaces you want them to build in. If you put fewer bee frames in a space meant to hold a certain amount, you will have a mess on your hands.

Once you?ve decided to move into beekeeping, purchasing and setting up your equipment is your priority. You can purchase your equipment brand new or look for used beekeeping supplies; both will work when setting up your beekeeping area. Once your beehives are set up, purchase your queen and bees. Good luck!
Great references here.

Posted in Beekeeper gifts, Fresh royal jelly, Organic bee pollen

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