5 Tips for Choosing the Best Caterer

Posted on November 2, 2016 by Francis Pitt

You are in charge of planning an event. You must choose the location, the theme of the event, and most importantly, the menu. Guests tend to look forward to and remember one thing at events, the food that was served. That is why catering can be so expensive and the best caterers sell out quickly. The type and quality of food at an event really makes or breaks the event. When planning an event that will serve food, keep the following things in mind when planning the menu with the caterer.

Research and ask for referrals with selecting good caterers. Good caterers make good impressions. They leave their customers satisfied and willing to make recommendations. When researching possible caterers for your event, ask them for recommendations. A caterer that is established and provides great service should be able to provide you with a list of satisfied previous customers. Ask your friends and co workers for recommendations of good caterers they have used previously.

Carefully plan your menu with the selected caterer. Your selected caterer should be able to provide you with recommended menu options, but the final menu decision will come down to you. Work with your caterer on creating a menu that fits the type of event you are planning. Event menus will depend on a variety of factors, including the type of event, the time of the event, and the time of year of the event.

For example, wedding events that take place in the evening are likely to have more upscale dining menus, including steaks, fishes, and appetizers. However, corporate menus that take place during the work day are likely to be filled with luncheon foods, such as sandwiches, salads, and bagels. The best event planner or caterer will be able to provide suggestions based on the specific details of your event.

Go over the contract with your caterer. You might assume that the full extent of the caterer contract is that they provide you with the meal suggested. However, there are actually many more details involved in this process. Good caterers will provide you with a contract that specifically lays out every aspect of the deal. You will need to decide on a lot of aspects of the catering relationship before signing the contract.

For example, in nearly all cases when you hire a caterer, you do not get to keep the leftovers. You only get what you paid for and what your guests ate, unless you have prearranged something differently in the contract. If you desire to keep the leftovers, you should have this specifically laid out in the contract and you should have previously discussed this with the caterer that you chose. Good caterers are often willing to work with their clients on adjusting to their specific needs.

Figure out the specifics of the event day. Another important discussion with the caterer is who will provide the needed essentials, such as the utensils, plates, napkins, and condiments. These are all items that your guests will need to enjoy their meals and the specific of who provides should be laid out in the contract and discussed ahead of time. A caterer may also be in charge of some decorations, table arrangements, and food presentation.

Inquire who will accompany your caterer. Some catering companies are full service. The best wedding menus prices include the setup, the serving, and the cleanup of the meal. A dinner catering menu can be a lot of work, so having an all inclusive package can be helpful. A caterer has to manage a staff of cooks, servers, cleaners, and dishwashers, while ensuring their team is aware of their schedules, place settings, serving customs, and food safety regulations. Ensure that your caterer is aware of these expectations and will be bringing a team for a full service catering job.

Planning any event requires a lot of decision making. One of the most important decisions, as an event planner is who will provide the catering for the event. There are a lot of minor details involved with the catering process. Good caterers will lay everything out in the contract and the contract should be thoroughly discussed before hiring a caterer for your next event.

Sanitary Drum Pump–To Comply with Food and Beverage Sanitation Standards

Posted on October 2, 2016 by Francis Pitt

The food and beverage industry in the United States adheres to rigid health and safety codes. One of the ways this is accomplished is through the use of industry-specific equipment that complies with food sanitation and safety standards. A sanitary drum pump, which is used to temporarily store and dispense a variety of food substances, is just one piece of equipment that aids in fulfilling these goals.

The sanitary drum pump is specifically utilized within the food and beverage industry. Drum pumps are used with 50-to-55-gallon barrels, and can be operated with either an electric or air motor.

When brewing craft beers, for example, a sanitary drum pump can be used to add flavoring. It can also be used to add flavoring to soft drinks and other beverages.

Sanitary pumps are also used to dispense mayonnaise, ketchup, mustard, relish, and other condiments. Depending on company size, the number of clients served, distribution, and other considerations, having added pumps is something to consider for high volume services. Furthermore, they arrive already assembled and can be used right out of the box.

One of the other benefits of polished stainless steel sanitary pumps is the ease with which they can be cleaned. Because these drum pumps are purposefully designed for disassembly, this expedites the cleaning process. This is one of several benefits for workplace efficiency.

A drum pump can also make it easier to transfer liquids and other food products from 50-to-55-gallon drums or barrels. This, in addition to the ease of cleaning, can also increase workplace productivity and streamline workflow. With increased productivity, it generally follows that there will be an increase in profits.

When considering profits, in both 2012 and 2013, the U.S. food and beverage industry had a 13% increase in sales. The food and beverage industry’s average net profits also increased by 17%.

To provide a more specific example, annual sales for the soft drink industry are approximately $60 billion. In 2013, for example, and for children’s food and beverages alone, retailers reported sales of around $23.2 billion. Furthermore, projected retail sales for this industry niche are expected to be $30 billion by 2018.

How to Increase Ice Cream Sales in the Winter Months

Posted on September 6, 2016 by Francis Pitt

Summer is, unfortunately coming to an end. Many children are already back in school and the hustle and bustle of the school year has begun. Most dessert shops will soon see a decrease in their ice cream sales. People have less time in the fall. The weather is cooler. People are so busy with school and extracurricular activities. These are all common reasons for why desserts are less popular during the fall and winter months. Many ice cream businesses may struggle to stay in business during these months, especially if they did not sell enough ice cream throughout the spring and summer months.

There are about 1.5 billion gallons of ice cream and similar desserts produced in the United States every year. That is a lot of ice cream. However, a large percentage of it is consumed during the spring and summer months. What are some ways that these ice cream businesses can increase their ice cream sales all throughout the year? What are some ways to entice customers who are busy and less craving of the ice cream? There are a few ways to encourage the sales during these slower, winter months.

As much as 90% of U.S. households regularly indulge in a sweet, frozen treat. How do you get all of these households to want these sweet, frozen treats all year long? Colorful containers and colored spoons may actually help increase ice cream sales. There is something about the image of eating a cold ice cream on a warm summer day. When a family sees another family with these ice cream desserts, they want them also. The same idea goes for the colored spoons and serving containers. Colored spoons and colored frozen yogurt cups catch the eye of the person passing by. They are more tempted to pay attention to the contents of the container, and are more likely to come in for their own ice cream dessert.
Providing customers with healthier dessert options may also increase sales in the winter.

Most people feel justified eating ice cream when the temperature is hot. Less people may purchase ice cream during the cold, winter months because they do not see others do so. However, if you can provide them with a healthier dessert option, they may be more likely to purchase the option. Frozen yogurt is a great alternative. At the end of 2013, there were an estimated 2,582 frozen yogurt stores. This just shows you the success of frozen yogurt, during most months of the year.

Providing your customer?s with other dessert options besides ice cream and other frozen desserts may also be a good option. Warm drinks or coffee drinks may entire customers to come in during the colder months. Drinks can include warmer ingredients or just simply not contain any ice cream. Those who do not enjoy ice cream during the colder winter months will have a different dessert option.

The dessert supplies that you use will also matter. When people come for ice cream, they expect it to be of high quality and to taste good. If you use low quality ice cream supplies, the ice cream quality will lack. People will be less likely to return for more ice cream at a later date. You will need to be sure that you provide your customers with a product that they consistently want, all year long.

Most ice cream shops are very successful during the warm, summer months. However, that means that they struggle during the cold, winter months. Dessert businesses need to find different ways to encourage cream sales, all year long. They can take steps such as providing the customer with other dessert options, serving the ice cream desserts in colorful and exciting containers and using only the highest of quality of ice cream supplies. These things can improve the quality of the ice cream, making more customers want it all year long.

Are You Looking for a Way to Improve the Meals That You Serve Your Family?

Posted on July 12, 2016 by Francis Pitt

Eating salsa gets a little old. Even if it is your favorite food, eating salsa, or any other food for that matter, too often can ruin a good thing. For this reason, households across America are constantly in search of new meal options and entree ideas. And while the quest for a change in the routine weekly meal plan is nothing new, the way that families are solving this challenge is new. Both in home ingredient and meal delivery and out of the home cooking classes are growing in popularity as families face the challenge of meal preparation.
Whether families are trying to create new one time meals in their own kitchen or they are attending professional cooking classes to build a month’s worth of meals at one time, stepping outside of the traditional family kitchen may be the answer to providing variety for the family table.
Mail Order Meal Ingredients Delivered to Homes Are a New Trend in Food Preparation and Planning
If you are a family that has tired of all of expense and the unhealthy choices that are offered by fast food stops around town, you may have decided to go in a different direction for meal planning. And while your home cooked options may be more healthy than fast food, they can often become monotonous. For many families the obvious choice is one of the many meal packages that can be delivered to your home.
Packaged meal ingredients often feature in season fruits and vegetables and a wide variety of entrees that are often a fancy twist on family favorites. With the herbs and seasonings provided, preparing a flavorful pork roast or other option. An introduction of petite micro greens and other salads may make even the pickiest family members try something new. Although desserts do not have to part of the menu choices that your family makes, the addition of crystallized edible flowers can make small dessert offerings even more appealing.
Although micro green varieties have been around for as long as 20 to 30 years, they do not always make their way to a family table. In a carefully prepared set of ingredients, however, the uses for microgreens become more manageable. And while famous restaurant chefs have used crystallized edible flowers in their meal preparations, it is not always likely that a typical family would find a way to work them into their meal plans. If, however, crystallized edible flowers options are provided by the meal kits, these too will make their ways into family kitchens and the meals prepared there.
Unfortunately, the average fine dining event can cost nearly $28.55 a person. These types of meals, however, can be prepared at home for much less.
Some Families Attend Cooking Classes That Help Them Prepare Many Meals at Once
Sometimes it is not just the gathering of special ingredients that makes meal preparation difficult. Having the correct cooking utensils and the best space to prepare the meals can also be a challenge. As a result, another popular meal preparation technique is couples or entire families attending cooking classes in professional kitchens around the country.
Selecting from a varied list of menu options before arriving for their cooking sessions, the coordinating cooking business gathers the ingredients and makes sure that the kitchens are full of the needed pots, pans, spatulas, knives, graters, and other utensils. With printed details, family members can work together to create an entire month of casseroles, soups, and other entrees. Not surprisingly, many families find that even their children are more likely to eat food that is served at home if those children are included in the meal planning and the meal preparation.
Specialty produce items, meats, and the basic cooking ingredients like olive oil, flour, sugar, and spices are provided for families and the favorite recipes can be repeated at home or rescheduled for another out of home cooking experience.
Whether you are an inventive dessert creator who wants to incorporate crystallized edible flowers into your presentation or you are a mother who is looking for ways to involve all of your family in the cooking process, some of the newest family meal preparation plans may help you reach your goals.

How to Make Your Ice Cream Snack Unique

Posted on June 29, 2016 by Francis Pitt

The ice cream business is a good business to be in during the warm, summer months. Hundreds of thousands of Americans eat some type of ice cream snack much more often in the summer, because of the heat. Children are constantly snacking on ice cream treats as an after dinner treat and even parents are occasionally consuming ice cream or gelato snacks. You will probably notice that the frozen yogurt supply at your local grocery store increases during these months to meet the much higher demand. You will also notice an increase in ice cream tasting supplies as more and more customers are purchasing ice cream treats.

According to a recent survey of International Ice Cream Association member companies, vanilla remains the most popular flavor among their consumers at 28%. Although vanilla is extremely popular, other flavors do not fall far behind. Customers also enjoy in ice cream and frozen yogurt flavors such as chocolate, rainbow and even brands with pieces of candy and fruits in it. In fact, toppings such as candy pieces and fruit pieces have become very popular along with ice cream, especially in the frozen yogurt brands.

There are about 1.5 billion gallons of ice cream and similar desserts produced in the United States every year. A large percentage of these numbers are produced and consumed during these summer months. Additionally, a large amount of ice cream supplies are also produced and used during these warm months. Ice cream tasting supplies such as tasting spoons, an ice cream cup, drinks straws and containers and even frozen yogurt spoons are bought at higher amounts. Tasting spoons may be specially purchased for those who prefer to use a specific spoon with their ice cream snacks. In fact, some parents may even opt to purchase colorful and decorated ice cream spoons to further increase the enjoyment for their children.

90% of U.S. households regularly indulge in a sweet, frozen treat. It is likely that you have some type of ice cream or frozen yogurt treat in your freezer right now. It is also likely that it does not last for very long there and you are constantly purchasing new boxes every week or every other week. Tasting spoons may line your cabinets and you probably notice that those go pretty quickly as well. You have also probably noticed more supply of tasting spoons when you are grocery shopping, making them easy to find and purchase.

The warm summer months are a popular time for ice cream and frozen yogurt treats. They are consumers are high percentages during these months and both children and adults alike enjoy in the cold treats. The grocery stores will increase their supplies of ice cream and frozen yogurt snacks and the supplies that may be needed to consume them with. You will notice new products constantly, including tasting spoons in different colors and designs to increase the excitement of the treat. You will also notice both traditional flavors of ice cream, such as vanilla along with unique and different flavors that include pieces of candy or fruits mixed into the ice cream snacks.

Ice Cream Throughout The World Three Different Types

Posted on June 8, 2016 by Francis Pitt

For many — perhaps even most — Americans, ice cream is a part of regular life. In fact, the average American is expected to consume ice cream 28.5 times a year. Ice cream is a soft, sweet treat that comes in a variety of flavors. Often, ice cream is one of the first “real” foods fed to a baby, due to its inoffensive nature and its softness. There’s something classic about ice cream, and it’s one of the few near-universal treats across the world. For example, you may not be able to find certain brands of candy bars across the world — but you certainly will be able to find ice cream across the world, if perhaps under a different name and with a slightly different consistency. In fact, 90% of American households regularly indulge in sweet, frozen treats. But then, there are a number of different frozen, sweet treats across the world; altogether, they are largely a lot like ice cream! From gelato to sorbet, you can taste a variety of different flavors and consistencies globally. By doing something as simple as picking up a plastic tasting spoon, you can transport yourself to a different country through taste. While vanilla remains the most popular ice cream flavor in the U.S. — at 28% according to a recent poll — other countries might have a different perspective. So: you might want to grab that plastic tasting spoon, because we’re going to look at different types of ice cream across the world.

1. Gelato

Gelato is probably the most widely type of “ice cream” known to Americans that isn’t, in fact, American. In fact, although gelato is Italian, some American ice cream brands now sell their own forms of gelato. Many Italians would refute this gelato as inauthentic, and with good reason. Italy has a number of artisanal gelato companies. Gelato shop owners will often proudly offer a plastic tasting spoon loaded with one flavor, and then the next. They’re confident that tasters will find a flavor that they love, and buy a gelato cup. The differences between gelato and ice cream are subtle, but important. In containing less air and more milkfat than ice cream, gelato tastes richer and has a creamier texture than ice cream. Flavors also tend to be more classic among traditional gelato makers, while American ice cream is bolder, and oftentimes “wackier”.

2. Ais Kacang

Unlike gelato, ais kacang is probably nothing that you’ve ever seen on a plastic tasting spoon before. This sweet treat is traditionally made in Singapore, and has a similar look to ice cream — and a similar purpose — but a different makeup. Originally, it was just made with shaved ice and red beans, the latter of which is common in many Asian desserts. It’s now usually brightly colored, offered with fruit cocktails and dressings — in everything from food courts to restaurants. It often contains sweet corn, grass jelly, and much more as ingredients. Evaporated milk, condensed milk, and coconut milk are also often included, as well as syrups. Chocolate syrup is included sometimes, perhaps as a result of the popularity of ice cream sundaes across the world.

3. Kulfi

Native to the Indian Subcontinent, kulfi has an ancient history. It’s seen by many as Indian ice cream, but there are certain differences that mark it as unique. Made through slow cooking, it involved evaporated milk and sweetened condensed milk. Its caramelization and slow cooking process give it a distinct flavor, which is often enhanced through the additions of dried fruit. Even the freezing of kulfi is slow, marking it as an artisanal product in the eyes of many. Kulfi is rarely seen without garnishes. These can include dried fruit, vermicelli noodles, and pistachio nuts. Syrups are common with this dish. On can only imagine what a relief it must be during a hot Indian summer!

Clearly, ice cream is defined in many ways. One thing is certain: we can’t live without our frozen sweet treats!

Latin-Inspired Rotisserie Chicken is a Real Party in Your Mouth

Posted on June 2, 2016 by Francis Pitt

No doubt about it, Americans love their chicken. We eat it in grilled, baked, smoked and fried. We turn leftovers into casseroles, pot pies and sandwiches. In 2015, Americans consumed 90.1 pounds of chicken per capita and that number is expected to rise to 91.8 in 2016 according to the National Chicken Council. Despite our love for this bird, with so much consumption, it’s hard to find new ways to enjoy it.
Well, skip the rosemary and thyme of traditional American-style (boring) grocery-store variety rotisserie chicken. Bring on the spice of Latin-inspired rotisserie chicken that’s a party in your mouth. Combining sweet and sour orange, lime, garlic and cumin, this delicacy is one to come back for time and time again. And eating healthy doesn’t have to be flavorless by a long stretch. One place to find this specially seasoned bird is is one of the many restaurants in South Beach. Nestled among the numerous fast food restaurants are Latin-inspired BBQ and rotisseries serving up America’s #1 protein with style and spice. Competing with the other 39,325 eating and drinking establishments in Florida is no easy task, but this twist on an American standard is one not to miss while vacationing in the area.
Living in South Beach?
If you are among the 995,600 people in Florida working for the food service industry, and you live in South Beach, you know the challenges of living in small spaces often with limited kitchen facilities of your own. Fast food restaurants in South Beach abound, but it is challenging to eat healthy. Latin restaurants of South Beach offer delivery service of their healthy meals, which include family-style meals that serve 6. Sides that come with these meals include plantains, rice, black beans, fresh vegetables, rice and beans and zucchini salad to name a few.
After the Party
The night life in South Beach is vibrant and late-night meals top it all off. When looking for where to eat to wind down the evening, look no further than flavorful but healthy BBQ chicken wings and Latin rotisserie chicken.
Party of Your Own
Bring the flavor of Latin-inspired dishes to your own party with catering. Your guests will be delighted with the change of pace from traditional American BBQ.

Organic Food Benefits

live happily, healthily and deliciously in the fast food nation