Must-Have Equipment for Your Restaurant Business

Image credit: willem! (flickr.com)

Starting a restaurant is definitely a great idea for a business. People simply love good food and you always have a sure market of customers if you can assure fantastic food quality and combine it with top notch customer service.

Aside from your cooking skills, one of the most important parts of having a successful food business is to use the best equipment. This will directly affect the quality of food you serve and so you really should take this into serious consideration. Besides, the speed and efficiency of your service will also be determined by the proper use of equipment.

Here’s a list of the basic restaurant equipment you should have in your disposal:

Cooker

You have no food business if you do not have a good cooking machine. Having a trusty stove is definitely a must. You may also use ovens and grills, depending on the food you plan to offer your customers. The size and quantity of your cooker should, of course, depend on the size of your business. It naturally follows that you’ll only need little cooking equipment if you are running a small restaurant compared with those who own larger restaurants.

Cold Storage

Meats, eggs, milk, ice cream, and many others require refrigeration if you want them to last longer. This is exactly why your business needs refrigerators and freezers. Leftover vegetables such as potatoes, cabbages, and carrots, among others, will be preserved better as you put them in cold storage. You can use then use them the next day without even having to worry about their quality. Simply put, most of your ingredients will have longer shelf life if you take advantage of refrigeration technology.

Ice Maker

If you also serve cold beverages, then ice makers are a must. Your customers will likely ask ice for their beverages (or glasses of cold water, in some instances) and so it helps to have a steady supply of ice. You may check out Premier Sales & Rentals’ ice maker products in case purchasing one isn’t exactly an option. You can rent ice maker machines and other equipment from this website.

Dishwasher

Finally, investing on a good dishwasher should make your life much easier. This can help you clean dishes, pans, and pots quicker than assigning someone to do the task manually. You will be more efficient in your operations and you will be able to serve your customers better.

The Advantages of Being a Vegetarian

The word vegetarian refers to a person who does not eat meat of any type and origin and some animal products. The diet of a vegetarian consists of vegetables, fruits, grains, legumes, nuts, seeds, free-range eggs and most dairy products. A person may become a vegetarian for religious, health or moral reasons. But whatever a person’s beliefs maybe, being a vegetarian has certain health benefits.

According to studies, vegetarians who follow a well-balanced vegetarian diet have lower incidence of degenerative ailments such as heart disease, hypertension, diabetes and certain forms of cancer.

A vegetarian diet is low in fat, and they consume less saturated fat than non-vegetarians. Saturated fat is a type of fat that comes mostly from animal products. It consists mainly of triglycerides that contain saturated fatty acids. This type of fat is the major cause of the increase of bad cholesterol levels in the body. High levels of low-density cholesterol increases the risk of heart disease.

Here are some of the salient health benefits of a vegetarian diet:

1. It works to protect your heart.

As stated above, meat and animal products are the main sources of saturated fats that give rise to bad cholesterol levels in the body. This in turn increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases.

2. Vegetarian diet helps to reduce the risk of cancer.

Cancer is one of the most dreaded diseases in the world. People fear cancer but they do not avoid many of its causes, and one of them is meat. Processed and red meats are two of the main culprits in the development of certain forms of cancer such as cancer of the breast, colon, prostate, pancreas and gastric cancer.

3. It helps to control weight.

Seeing an obese vegetarian is next to impossible. People who eat a well-rounded vegetarian diet are seen as slim, strong, healthy, energetic, and they have youthful glowing skin. People who are fond of eating meat and fast foods easily gain weight because the foods they ate are loaded with fat themselves.

So if you are weight or figure-conscious, you don’t really need to starve yourself or kill your body with rigorous routines. Just change your diet and eat veggie burger instead of ham burger and you will discover how it works in a matter of days.

You should teach yourself to love vegetables and fruits. It is one of the best ways to stay healthy, fit and energetic naturally.

You should see vegetarian recipes online. You will be surprised at what you are going to discover.

 

Related Articles:

Vegetarian Diets: The Myths vs. Facts (healthcare.utah.edu/)

Top 10 Reasons to Eat More Fruits and Vegetables (fruitsandveggiesmorematters.org/)

Health Benefits of Eating Fruits and Vegetables (network-toolbox.cdph.ca.gov/)

8 Things You Probably Didn’t Know You Can Do With Wine

 

You open that bottle of that wine you’ve been waiting for so long to drink only to find out that it has gone bad. You don’t throw away just yet, though. You probably didn’t know, but there are many things you can do with wine aside from simply drinking it. Here are eight of them:

Use it as a Skin Softener

You read that right. Since red wine is rich in antioxidants, it only makes sense that its benefits to the insides of your body can also be applied to your skin. In some countries, women use red wine as toner. There have also been reports of some women adding red wine to their bath water because according to them, red wine helps to soften the skin and brighten the complexion.

Use it to Heal Bruises

As mentioned, red wine such as Merlot and Shiraz is rich in antioxidants. Aside from being able to help your body on the inside, it can also be used on your skin. Another use of leftover wine is as remedy for a bruise. Wine contains flavonoids that can soften the skin tissue and acts as disinfectant as well. Apply a few amounts to help bruises heal quickly.

Use it to Clean Fruits and Vegetables

Aside from water, there are other elements you can use to clean fruits and vegetables. Take baking soda, for example. Wine, too, can be used to kill germs and other several types of foodborne pathogens that may be present in fruits and vegetables.

Use it to Clean the Kitchen

The cleaning abilities of wine can be used not only to get rid of the stains on your countertop, but disinfect other kitchen surfaces as well. Since most bacteria in the kitchen are found on the countertop, a bottle of wine should be enough to get the job done.

Use it to Remove Stains

If you’re wondering how you can get rid of the stains on your driveway and garage floor, get that bottle of leftover wine and pour it on the stained areas. The acidity of the alcohol in the wine will help dissolve the stains.

Use it to Clean Glass

Since leftover wine that is nearly spoiled is on its way to turn into vinegar, it makes sense that it can be used to clean dirty glass. No need to use a large amount, though. Simply add a tablespoon or two to a bottle of water and apply it on mirrors, and windows. It works like a charm.

Use it to Trap Flies

Fly traps can be expensive, so if you have leftover wine in your house, try to use it to trap flies instead. Wine is naturally aromatic and can attract flies. Pour a few amounts into a glass with a wide opening. Cover the glass with plastic wrap with holes poked into it. The flies will be attracted to the glass of wine and will enter the glass through the holes, but they won’t be able to get out.

Use it as Vinegar

This is your last resort if all else fails. After a few weeks, the leftover wine will transform into vinegar on its own.

 

 

4 Traditional English Foods You Cannot Forget

There are lots of traditional English foods that are served in London and other cities in England today. These foods are all wonderful and choosing which of them is best for this article really took a lot of time. It’s not hard to find good food in London.

The difficult part is deciding which of them must go first into your taste buds. After a period of contemplation, I have finally come up with four traditional English foods that might tickle your taste. Please read on to know them.

 

Traditional English Breakfast

 

For a lot of English nationals, a traditional English breakfast typically includes fried or scrambled eggs, baked beans, bacon, bread fried in  oil, hash browns, mushrooms, tomatoes, black pudding, and fried potatoes. Accompanied by a cup of tea, coffee, or perhaps juice, this meal can surely fill you up.

 

Pie and mash

 

This food is the favorite of people living in the East End. It is composed of meat pie, mashed potato and liquor, which is actually a non-alcoholic green juice extracted from parsley. It is mixed with water that is used to cook stewed eels.

Stewed eels are also served alongside pie and mash. Eels are boiled in water and vinegar then left to cool. Once they have cooled, they are ready to serve with chili vinegar.

 

Fish & Chips

 

Dubbed as England’s most traditional food, fish and chips is a serious food that has nourished and comforted the British people for hundreds of years. A visit in London can’t be complete without a taste of this food. Although it was believed to have originated from Jewish refugees, the fish and chips is a favorite food of the working class many years back. Now it has become so popular that it is served even in restaurants across London.

Sunday Roast

 

The Sunday roast or Sunday lunch is believed to have started at a time when wealthy landowners would prepare a hearty meal of meat and potatoes to reward their workers for their labors. It is usually served after church. Presently, the Sunday roast is served with roast beef, lamb, chicken, and pork. It is not just a meal but a feast.

The roast beef is a traditional English food that was served in English feasts since the 18^th century.

 

I have chosen these four English cuisines because of their importance in the English culture. When you happen to visit London or any city in England, you should try at least one traditional English food before you leave. If you wish to cook any one of them for your friends, you can find recipes of these foods at the FoodPlus website.

 

You may also like:

Guide to London’s Best Traditional Foods (eatinglondontours.co.uk)

Typical Traditional English Dishes (resources.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk)

Easy Pasta Salad Recipes for your Family

Pasta is defined as a dish that consists of dough made from wheat and water. It is stamped into a variety of shapes and it is cooked in boiling water. A pasta salad refers to a mixture of foods with pasta as the base.

Pasta may look innocent but it is packed with nutrients such as carbohydrates, fiber, selenium, manganese, folate and carotenoids. These substances work together to give you a lot of health benefits.

You can actually cook pasta in a lot of ways; all of the dishes you make are sure to give you a healthy and satisfying treat. Here are two quick and simple pasta recipes you can consider for your next meal:

 

Veggie Pasta Salad

This is a healthy pasta dish that uses whole-grain. It is low in carbohydrates and it uses veggies to enhance its health-giving potentials.

Ingredients:

 

Pasta spirals – 1 8-ounce pack

Sweet onion, diced – 1/4 cup

Hot chili pepper, fresh, seeded and minced – 1/2 piece

Tomatoes, seeded and chopped – 2 pieces

Cucumber, seeded and chopped – 1 piece

Bell pepper, green, chopped – 1/2 piece

Olive oil – 1/4 cup

Tomato sauce – 1/4 cup

Lime juice – 1/4 cup

Red wine vinegar – 3 tablespoons

Garlic powder – 1 teaspoon

Salt – 1 teaspoon

Black pepper, ground – suit to taste

Ground black pepper to taste

 

Directions:

 

1. Fill a large pot with water. Apply a little amount of salt into it.

2. Add the pasta into the boiling water. Cook it for about eight minutes or until it becomes tender yet firm.

3. Remove the pasta from the pot and rinse it with cold water until it becomes cool.

4. Drain the water from the pasta with the use of a strainer and transfer it to a large bowl.

5. Add the sweet onion, chili pepper, tomatoes, green bell pepper and cucumber to the pasta.

6. Use a separate bowl to contain the mixed olive oil, lime juice, tomato sauce, red wine vinegar, salt, garlic powder, and black pepper.

7. Sprinkle the mixed ingredients in item 6 over the pasta and stir to coat.

8. Chill the pasta in the refrigerator for at least two hours.

9. Stir to serve.

Simple Pasta Salad

This is not a common pasta salad, but it is tasty treat you’ll probably appreciate. Note that you can use more or less of its ingredients depending on your taste.

 

Ingredients:

 

Rotini pasta, tricolor – 1 12-ounce package

Tomatoes, plum, quartered – 4 pieces

Cucumber, quartered and sliced – 1 piece

Bell Pepper, green, minced – 1/2 piece

Red onion, minced – 1/4 piece

Black olives, sliced – 1 2.25-ounce can

Salad dressing, Italian style, zesty lite – 1 16-ounce bottle

Bacon bits – 1 2.5-ounce pack

Cranberries, dried – 1/2 of 6-ounce pack

 

Directions

 

1. Fill a large pot with water, add a little salt to it and bring it to boiling temperature.

2. Add the rotini pasta to the boiling water and allow it to cook for about eight minutes or until it becomes firm.

3. Remove the water from the pot and rinse the pasta with cold water.

4. Drain the pasta with the use of a large strainer.

5. Put your pasta in a large bowl and add to it the tomatoes, green bell pepper, black olives, cucumber, and red onion.

6. Pour in your Italian-style salad dressing over the pasta mixture and toss to coat.

7. Sprinkle your cranberries and bacon bits over the salad before serving.

These are two pasta pasta salad recipes easy on the budget and quick to make. You can do this if you want to treat your family or friends with quick yet healthy pasta treat.

 

You may also like:

Pasta: Natural Weight-Loss Foods (health.howstuffworks.com)

Top 10: Healthy Pasta Dishes (foodandwine.com)

Planning a Dinner that Rekindles Romance

Romance should always be present in a relationship even if the two of you have already lived together for quite sometime. One of the most effective ways to let your partner feel loved is to prepare a romantic dinner for the two of you to savor together. Food is not just for the stomach. It can also work through the heart especially if it is delicious and presented in an attractive way.

Even if it’s not Valentine’s Day, you can make any day special by preparing a romantic dinner for two. It might require effort and planning, but it is sure to reward you with an evening that you and your loved one can fondly remember through the years.

Here are the steps you need to consider when planning a romantic dinner to rekindle romance:

The Menu

The menu is necessary not only because you need to shop for supplies. This is important because it can take you back in time to when your love affair started to bloom. So before you shop for something to cook, be sure to prepare a menu that’s meaningful and related to your love relationship. Try to recall the dishes that you shared on your past dates and make them the main part of your menu. This will make you bring back the days when your love was new and eager to show.

The Mood

Once you have decided on the menu, you should now work to set the mood. You should be particular of the look and feel of the place of your romantic dinner. Set the room temperature at a comfortable level and light scented candles in several places. This can help to set the mood to a night of romance.

The Table

The table is just a piece of furniture where you eat and drink, but its appearance can help to ignite your mood for a romantic dinner. It should be set in a way that makes the night a special one. Cover it with pastel-colored linens and highlight it with a vase full of flowers as centerpiece.

Emphasize the importance of the occasion by presenting the foods beautifully. Avoid spilling the foods. Pay close attention to food stains that may be left on the rim of serving bowls. Avoid overcooking vegetables and fish.

The Music

Music is one of the elements that can bring you back to the time when you were so in love. Set the tone of your “dinner date” to romantic by playing your favorite music when you were dating. You must be sure that the music is placed in the background. You should not allow it to hinder natural conversation.

 

The Wine

When choosing wine for the evening, the rule of thumb is to pick one that is most preferred by your partner. It’s not actually necessary to buy an expensive wine to make the affair special. The important thing is to drink the wine that you like. It would be a lot better if you can pair your food with a wine you and your partner both love.

Planning a romantic dinner is like doing some art. It needs inspiration and skills. You should contemplate about it carefully in order to come up with a lovely evening of romance that you will never forget. Spending a romantic evening with your loved one can be made sweeter and more memorable with recipes from food plus online.

 

Related Articles:

Planning a Romantic Getaway (soc.ucsb.edu)

How To Plan a Romantic Dinner at Home for Your Spouse (marriage.about.com)

How to Organize a Romantic Dinner

image credit: matt.agnello (flickr.com)

At one point in your life, you’ll want to impress someone whom you truly admire and love. You put your best foot forward and become the greatest version of yourself whenever you are with her. You make sure that everything, from the first date to the 50th anniversary dinner, is perfectly planned, with all aspects of the memorable evening completely organized to a T.

If you want a great romantic dinner with the most beautiful woman in your life, make sure you take a close look at the overall set-up and atmosphere of the venue. Turning down the lights will do the trick of setting your dinner to a mood. Create an extra dash of romance with some beautiful candles, which effectively add warmth. Make sure you choose the most fitting candles and place them in nice jars. The first though of candlelit dinners is often associated with romance. As soon as your girlfriend or wife comes in, she will look forward to a great experience.

 Great romantic music will do wonders. Find great tunes that perfectly suit this occasion and turn up the volume a bit. Make sure you don’t ruin the night by choosing inappropriate songs. You can also have live piano music, which many bistros and exclusive restaurants offer. Better yet, hire an ensemble to really make the event memorable, particularly when it is the night that you will propose marriage. If you can do it, why not belt out a romantic tune for her?

What’s a romantic dinner without flowers? Get her some, and make sure they are her favorites. Traditionally, men give red roses to the woman of their dreams. You can go the extra mile like others do, having petals spread all over the place, or buying an entire flower boutique to show their affection during this special dinner date.

Never miss out on the very important part of your date, as well: the food and drinks. If you are setting it up in your home, you can cook or order her favorite food. If you are taking her out to this romantic date, you need to be sure she will love all that you ordered. Never forget the wines too. Grab that red wine in Australia that you so properly stored in your cellar and impress her with your taste for good, rich wines.

Take charge of this very important romantic dinner with your girlfriend or wife, and watch her become impressed by your effort. Make sure you both enjoy this memorable date and smile over it for years to come.

Four Exciting Reasons You Should Attend Wine Events

Wine events, regardless of where they are held, are always simply fabulous. Not only are they opportunities to meet elite wine writers and famous wine dealers, but they are also opportunities to taste new food and wine. I myself enjoy such events, and even if I attend them regularly, I still can’t get enough and always look forward to the next one. Out of the experiences I have had from wine events, I came up with four reasons why any wine enthusiast should go to such gatherings. Here they are:

 

To Meet Other Wine Enthusiasts

 

I believe that the saying “No man is an island” applies to every situation. If you are a wine enthusiast, there’s no way you can enjoy your journey on your own. You have to meet other students like yourself from whom you can learn new ideas. Wine events are a great opportunity to bump into people, who like you, have the desire to know more about the world of wine.

 

To Have the Opportunity to Travel

 

The best thing about being a wine enthusiast or a foodie in general is that it lets you go places. This is especially true if the events are held overseas. Even if a particular wine event is held locally, it’s still a great opportunity for you to go outside and travel.

 

Image Credit: Curt Gibbs (Flickr.com)

To Get to Taste Different Types of Wine

 

Nowadays, it’s rather easy to choose to purchase wines online if you want to taste a type of wine that’s not found in your collection. However, nothing can beat the experience of getting to taste new wine with a group of other enthusiasts and having someone who’s an expert in wine educate you.

 

To Learn

 

I would say that when I was younger, learning wasn’t really the main reason I wanted to attend wine events. I would say I loved the idea of traveling more and getting to meet new people. After several years and several wine events, however, I realized that even though it wasn’t my main motivation in the past, I still did get to learn a lot of things. Today, I can say that I’ve really matured and always make it a goal to learn a thing or two from every wine event I go to. There’s always room for learning, even if you consider yourself an expert already, so don’t take wine events for granted. Instead, consider them as a channel for you to further increase not only your knowledge about wine, but also your love for the hobby.

 

There are clearly other reasons you should attend wine events regularly, but as for me, these are what I believe should be every wine lover’s motivators.

 

Reasons People Read Food Blogs

Photo Credit: Agnieszka (flickr.com)

 

In every one of us lives a foodie just waiting to express itself beyond banana cream pie and grilled sea bass. And because social media has stoked the flames of our desires to be heard, we have come up with food blogs, where we can unleash our inner foodie and not worry about being judged for whatever we write and post.

However, writing about food is easier said than done. While people will say that they like your posts, that they seem to get funnier every time they read it, they will quickly come back with a zinger: they think the recipe for your banana bread is wrong and that every recipe posted thereafter seems just like a boring rehash. They were my Nana’s family recipes people! Show some respect…

Food blogs or recipe websites like the food plus website always give people reason to browse about food and great recipes not just because they have a passion for cooking, but also because people are looking for advice on how to live a better life by eating healthier food. While nobody is above searching for a great cupcake recipe every now and then, people are more into finding recipes with the least amount of calories.

Who knew that there were about 500 ways you can disguise chicken and that you can actually make restaurant-quality pasta with whatever’s in your pantry at that particular moment? See, with food blogs, you discover ingenious ways to cook food that has otherwise been prepared over and over again too many times. You discover that there are better ways to eat crab or marinade beef – things you would never have known if you stuck to reading cookbooks.

Also, the ways by which these blogs are written also contributes to their appeal to the masses. Some sites will sound like they were written by your mother and then there are sites that will sound like they were written by your sassy sister. While there are some that will come complete with food safety warnings, particularly about storage and cooking times, they still do it in a way that will keep the reader interested. Of course, I haven’t gotten to the part about the stunning food pictures that simply make my mouth water every time I look at them.

Another great thing about food blogs is that they are not limited to local cuisine. If you wanted to, you could also surf about Indian, Asian, Greek, Spanish, Japanese, Italian, French and Middle Eastern recipes and find that they are easy to follow especially with the step-by-step videos that accompany them. More to the point, you can hit the “repeat” button if you get lost or forget a step.

So how do you find the best food blogs? Simply follow your taste. Go for blogs that reflect your kitchen or cooking personality or if you like, go beyond the box and look for blogs that seem interesting and try out the recipes you see within, even if they seem to deviate a bit from what you know. The thing about cooking is that you are able to expand your horizons and broaden your taste buds so to speak, to make room for new tastes and flavors. And this alone, makes surfing for food blogs much more interesting.

 

You might also like:

Food Porn: Are You Ready To Take A Stand? (forbes.com)

6 Lessons For Designing Restaurant and Food Websites (designshack.net)

 

 

Savoring Sav Blanc, the Distinctively Tasty White Wine

image courtesy of Jill Clardy (flickr.com)

Ask any sommelier and they will tell you: white wines are a fantastic choice. Sav Blanc, one of the more popular whites all over the world, is a common favorite.

This wine from green-skinned grapes tastes what it sounds like. A combination of the French terms “sauvage” which means “wild” and “blanc” which means “white”, it is known to be generally a refreshing variety without the burn you’d expect from richer, fuller bodied wines like the reds. It strikes the balance between the grassy or a taste the fruity and a hint of minerality.

Sauvignon Blanc is a fairly ubiquitous wine variety, as it can be produced virtually any winery in the world, as it can grow in most vineyards everywhere. Sav Blanc varieties from both the old world and the new world have been concocted, making it an impressive white wine that can be tasted and produced anywhere from New York to Australia to New Zealand.

 For many, Sav Blanc is a must-have for common days, and even without a , and not exactly something you’ll grab off your cellar or the wine shop for a very special and unique occasion. A simple picnic, a late-night cold treat, a last-minute dinner party, this is the wine to have. No reason to doubt about how a bottle of Sav Blanc can be best (or not) for any or all seasons; you can enjoy a glass or two alone or with a friend or family or a group of people on winter, spring, summer or fall – or so the song goes.

 Sav blanc is perfect for food pairings, and is considered one of the food friendliest wines around. It is best for cooking, and can perk up recipes for white meats such as pork chops, turkey and chicken, as well as some fish, crab, clams and lobsters. Its unique flavor and pronounced acidity also shine through when added in veggies, pastas and salads.

 For food pairing, sour cheeses and yogurts are also tastier when matched with Sav Blanc. The component called pyrazines gives this wine the green veggie aroma and flavor loved by people who generally enjoy tropical flavors. Like with any white wine (or red), winemaking plays an important part in the taste of Sauvignon Blanc.

 If you love elegant wines and lean toward the old oak taste and dry flavor with a fruity zest, you’ll never go wrong with Sauvignon Blanc. Give it a sip and discover the taste that will take you to the world’s best places to grow this kind of grape and make barrels of.