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How to Choose A Caterer

There are a lot of caterers you can choose from, so it’s tough to know which of them are worthy of your money.

Consider the following steps to help you decide wisely!

chafing-dish

Make a list

First, you should try making a list of the different people that do catering. When you are making your list, go onto a search engine and type in catering in the name of your city. So, if you were in Denver, you could type on “catering in Denver CO” and then make a list of what comes up on the first page or two of results. You can make a longer list if you go further into the results, but you should be good if you can find 5 or so places to look further into.

Check out their website

Next, you need to make sure that you understand what they can serve to your guests. If you want someone to bring steak and sides, then you have to find a place that can make that happen. You can generally learn more on a website that a catering company has up about what they can offer to you. Just make sure that you call as well because sometimes what is online is outdated. You never know, they could have added something better than what you had in mind but didn’t have the time to update the website because they were busy.

laptop

Read their Reviews

Reviews can come in handy as you try to find out more about the companies you have identified.  You don’t want to pick a company solely because they were first in the search you did.  If they haven’t been around that long, then check for reviews and see if you can find any complaints.  This may be a sign they are not going to make it and won’t deliver on the job as you hoped.   For companies that have been around for many years, if there are no reviews sometimes that is better than there being a lot of negative ones.

Check the Schedule

Developing a list of caterers to research will also give you options should your first pick not be available.  Short notice scheduling can be tricky, especially if the event is on a holiday. If you can’t get the first person on your list, keep trying and make sure that you call as early as you can to avoid this issue. A few months ahead is best in order to avoid being told that they don’t have room to fit you in.

breakfast-buffet

Stay In The Easy Lane With Your Next Dinner Party By Using The Slow Cooker

Sometimes cooking for a dinner party can be a little bit daunting.

How many guests do you plan to have?

People can make dinner parties a little more complicated than they have to be. For sure, there are all different kinds, but let’s take a shortcut here using a slow cooker so that you have an easier time putting your party together.

One of the great things about slow cookers is that they are set it and forget it pieces of equipment. When is the last time you made some meat in the slow cooker. For this recipe, you can forget slaving away in the kitchen, even for the sides. By the time you serve up these delicious pulled pork sandwiches, all you are going to need to provide your guests is chips and drinks.

pork-sandwich

So what is the best way to make pulled pork?

You might not think so, but if you look up other more intensive recipes, you will see that almost every spice in the cabinet can be used. You don’t want to overdo it with each spice though. One spice you can leave out is lemon pepper. Use chili powder, dried oregano, cumin, onion powder, garlic, paprika, black pepper, salt and whatever else you have. Don’t trim off the fat either, even if you are using a pork shoulder instead of a pork loin.

Work those spices into the meat, and you can even marinade the meat the night before if you wish. You really don’t need to go through all that trouble though. When you get that spiced up pork loin in the slow cooker, all you have to do is let the equipment and the ingredients do their job. You put the pork loin or multiple loins if you are having a big dinner party, in the slow cooker submerged in water.

Cook that pork on low for 12 hours, and enjoy the smell.

You can take care of getting chips, drinks and other supplies in the meantime. You need one bottle of your favorite barbecue sauce per pork loin, and you need plenty of extra bottles of sauce on the side for your guests to use. Once the loin or loins have cooked for 12 hours, you can take them out and they easily shred and fall apart.

It is melt in your mouth meat, and all you have to do is drain the water, put the meat back in and add the barbecue sauce.

You then leave it cooking on low for another few hours and then just keep it warm. If you time the cooking of the pork well enough, then it is just getting ready to be served when your guests arrive. That is one of the easiest, cheapest and most delicious dinner party recipes you can take on.Once cooked the serving options are endless.  Check out this Paleo option in the video below.

If you would rather push the easy button for your next dinner party, this is your golden ticket.

Benefits Of Buying Fresh Produce From Local Farms

Even at a time when so much farm food goes straight to can or frozen bags, there has also been a huge resurgence in fresh produce from local farms being available.

The truth is that there are many major benefits that come from buying and eating fresh produce from local farms. 

Supporting The Local Economy

One of the obvious immediate benefits is that the local economy gets a major boost. The profits aren’t being funnelled up to corporate companies across state lines or hundred miles away but the farmers who are growing the food are getting your cash, you get amazing food, and that money stays in the community as it is then used for their expenses and so on. Many communities have made comments about the positive effects that farmer’s markets and similar setups have had for the communities that embrace them.

field

Healthier Food

Many of the locals who grow food will be going organic and those who even use some basic pesticides are going to use far less (and far weaker) ones than what corporate farms will use. In addition to this, getting food quickly from the garden as opposed to being aged and preserved means that there are a lot more nutrients. There is no nutrient loss from the field to your meals, and since the food goes directly to you it has a lot less chance of becoming contaminated along the way.

Healthier food is a bonus that keeps paying off because you will get more energy from your food, you’ll feel better, and you’ll function better. The difference isn’t a small one!

vegetables

Better Tasting Food

Fresh food tastes better. This is a consistent truth, and by buying locally you’re going to be surprised just how different fresh fruits and vegetables can taste if you are used to the frozen, canned, or microwaved stuff. The flavors will be much more vibrant and the taste will make a night and day difference. You also get to enjoy the benefit of eating seasonally based on what is in season at any given time, helping really tie you into the local area and get a sense of how the natural seasons and produce works.

There are many different benefits to buying and eating fresh produce from local farms. From having healthier and better tasting food to supporting the local economy to protecting the environment by buying from local natural farmers, there are many amazing reasons that you should look at working with local farmers and food producers.

There are so many benefits, why not start today?

carrots

Five Of The Top Restaurants In Australia From Three Major Cities

Is Australia halfway across the world from you? Many people visiting the massive island country and its Gold Coast end up realizing that, and it makes this type of vacation all the more fun. When you vacation in Australia, you need to know what restaurants are good. Of course there are quite a few cities in the country and tons of restaurants. Where will you be staying? Perhaps you are going to traveling all over, from the beaches to the Sydney Opera House and beyond.

In that case, let’s stop by some of the top restaurants in certain Australian cities so that you get a good look at where to grab a good bite to eat.

Sydney, Australia

Would you have guessed that Sydney, Australia has over 5,000 restaurants? One of the best is Farmhouse Kings Cross, and you can find this establishment on Bayswater Road. The reviews do say that this place features a fixed menu but has seasonal produce. Does that mean they only use locally grown and organic produce? Beef cheeks is a menu highlight.

Now we have to get to a couple other cities so let’s get moving. Two other restaurants in Sydney you can count on are Zahli on Elizabeth Street and The Baxter Inn on Clarence Street.

Brisbane, Australia

The next Australian city we are going to visit is Brisbane with its over 4,000 restaurants. Black Hide Steakhouse on Caxton Street is #1. You can get your steak, oysters and more, but you can leave the mushy peas off of my plate. Then there is 1889 Enoteca, and it is located on Logan Road. Are you a fan of cured meats? If so, this is likely to be a favorite stop of yours. A third Brisbane restaurant for you to try is Bacchus, which can be found on Rydges South Bank. This restaurant is said to serve up delicious lamb and so much more.

Melbourne, Australia

Melbourne is another one of the great Australian cities, and you can find tons of delicious eats there. One of the best establishments is Scopri, which can be found on Nicholson Street. Are you ready to try some rabbit and other special delicacies? Another top Melbourne restaurant is Sezar, and this establishment is located at 6 Melbourne Place. Baklava, hummus and beef cheeks await. What is up with the beef cheeks in Australia?

Let’s stop by one more Melbourne restaurant before we round this out. There is a restaurant called Cantuccio, and it is found on Lygon Street. Get your fill of Italian food including the popular Tiramisu for dessert. Could you eat your fill in garlic bread right about now? This is quite the popular spot for Italian cuisine.

spaghetti

As you can see, you are going to be enjoying all kinds of great food as you travel Australia.

You can hit up these fine establishments, and who knows mabey the beef cheeks will become a new favourite!

Must Have Supplies for the Do-It-Yourself Chef

Cooking at home means that you have to have access to the right tools and gadgets. Why not make sure you get the best and that you know where to find them?

Find Reviews

Before you buy anything, you need to know how to find out whether cooking tools are good or not. The best way to do this is to find reviews on everything you’re considering. That way, if something is likely to break or it doesn’t work as good as the company says it does, you don’t have to spend your hard earned money on it. Think about how much good supplies cost and making sure that you know they work right makes a lot of sense. You don’t want to throw money away for no reason if you don’t have to.

Think in terms of long-lasting

You’re going to need pots and pans. They make a lot of these with cheap coatings on them, and that’s not something you want. If it’s going to be part of your kitchen, then it needs to be able to last you a lot longer than something cheap from a local retail store. Sometimes what you find for a few bucks in a place like that is a good deal, but the quality may not be up to par. Over time, if you have a good quality pan with the right kind of surface, you won’t have to worry about replacing it because it will be like new if you care for it.

The Right Seasonings

Spices are a staple in all kitchens. There’s a reason why this is the case, and that’s because without them your food could come out bland. The top chefs in the world will tell you that spices can make or break a dish. And, it shouldn’t be cheap spices, either. A lot of those are not really that good in quality and that can have a detrimental effect on your food. Get something that you know is well reviewed and that comes from a company you know you can trust to give you good products.

There are a ton of neat cooking supplies and gadgets available that all do-it-yourself chefs should have to make tier work easier and enjoyable.  Check out a few of these…

A Quick And Helpful Guide to Restaurant Cleaning

Running a restaurant is a very rewarding endeavor.

However, in order to successfully do it, there are many things that you have to do. One of these things is cleaning.

As you consider restaurant cleaning and why it’s so important, here are a few tips.

First of all, in order to be in compliance, you must have a clean restaurant. Inspectors will visit your place of business and look over it to make sure your restaurant is up to their standards. If it isn’t, you could lose your ability to remain open and in business. While this is a great reason to keep your restaurant clean, or rather, to stay out of trouble, there are more reasons, too.

dirty-kitchens

When it comes to keeping your restaurant up to standards as far as cleanliness, many things are taken into account. Not only do you need to keep the eating area, bathrooms, in waiting areas, and the exterior of the place clean, the area where the food is cooked, stored, prepared, and served must be immaculate. This helps keep you and your guests from getting sick or eating something that isn’t as fresh or as clean as possible.

In keeping all of these areas clean, you likely after that it’s a challenging task as there is a lot to keep up with. For this reason, many places choose to hire restaurant cleaning services to take care of many of the cleaning tasks. Choosing professionals to do it for you offer you the benefit of knowing someone who is skilled and experienced in cleaning restaurants is doing it the right way to make sure all areas of the establishment are totally clean.

Next, customers will appreciate a clean restaurant. By keeping your tables and floors clean, making sure the bathrooms and other areas are well kept, your customers will not have any issues with the restaurants’ cleanliness. Having a dirty place can ruin your reputation very quickly. But, making sure your restaurant is as clean as possible created an environment your guest will appreciate.

happy-customers

Keeping customers happy and satisfied is something that will keep them coming back and telling their friends about your restaurant. For instance, if they notice a dirty area, they are more likely to shout it to everyone on social media than if they notice a nice and immaculate restaurant area. So this makes it quite important to do what you can to keep all areas of your restaurant as neat, tidy, and as clean as you can.

In conclusion, there are so many different reasons to keep your restaurant immaculately clean. Of course, you must do it to keep your restaurant open, but it’s almost important for your reputation.

Consider the information that has been shared here as you take on the task of restaurant cleaning or find a reputable company to do it for you. The reasons are many and it only makes sense to keep your restaurant clean.

Cleaning Services – Cleaning a Commercial Kitchen

A spic-and-span commercial kitchen area is very crucial, for workplace health and safety legislation  as well as Food Safety Standards. When it comes to normal upkeep, commercial cleaning does not need to be a specifically tough or lengthy job. You may also consider outsourcing your cleaning services. There are many cleaning companies in Australia and New Zealand that take on commercial cleaning contracts for this type of work and can usually work while the establishment is closed. If you would like to handle things yourself, it can be done easily if you take the time and follow some simple tips. The best method to cleaning up a commercial kitchen area is to split the task up into a collection of smaller sized jobs. Adhering to this principle, here are some guidelines on ways to skilfully tidy up and disinfect tough surface areas, many non-carpet floor coverings, as well as garbage and recycle areas.

Commercial-Cleaning-services-Supplies

Here’s what you’ll require:

– bucket or pail – preferably, an actual mop bucket

– dustpan and broom

– a mop

– lint-free or microfiber towels and paper towels

– scrubbing pad – non-abrasive

– soft brush (that’s not used for food)

– a multi-purpose cleaner

– a flooring cleaner

– Non-reusable gloves (if you have a sensitivity to cleaning chemicals).

Cleaning up Difficult Surface areas.

– Clear the area by moving items to another location or off to the side.

– Wipe or brush and loose particles from the surface area, right into a wastebasket.

– Holding the container 8-12 inches far from the surface area to stay clear of over-spray, spray the Multi-Purpose Cleaner into the location you’re cleaning up.

Tips:

o If you’re in a customer area, wait until they’re gone or spray away from the direction they’re located. Spraying directly onto the paper towel rather than the surface will also work well.

o to prevent streaks, wipe smaller areas as you go. If spotting takes place, you’re probably using too much product. Use less product, and allow the product to work and then wipe and allow it to dry. (Polishing is not necessary though you may want to give it one more wipe).

o to correctly sanitize, leave the disinfectant products on the surfaces the required time indicated on the label.

– When the surface area is completely dry, Move the items you originally moved back to the area. Be sure to wipe the bottoms of the items with a dampened cloth used to disinfect so as to not contaminate the surface.

– trash the gloves and wash your hands before moving to the next area

Cleaning up Non-Carpet Floor coverings.

Clean-and-disinfect treatment:

o Start by sweeping up the floor to remove any debris.

o Then mop the flooring with a solution of warm soapy water. Follow the directions on the cleaning and use the proper ratios of cleaner to water.

o Then, mop the flooring once again with a clean fresh pail of warm water to tidy up any residue of soap.

Disinfecting.

Clean-safety

o Place a warning sign or marker in the location you’re mopping to warn clients and employees that the floor may be wet and slippery.

o Fill your mop bucket with some warm water as directed.

o Mix the proper ratio of disinfectant to water as instructed on your product.

o Set the mop to soak in the bucket and make sure it is completely immersed.

o Gently squeeze out the mop in the press, but not too hard. You want to ensure to thoroughly wet your floor. The surface area should continue to be damp for 10 mins to properly sanitize.

o Beginning farthest from the kitchen door area, work your mopping swipes in about a 10 ft. square area.

o Then move onto the next area, and so on until you work your way towards the exit doorway

o to decontaminate greatly stained surface areas, repeat Tips 4 with 7. Permit the surface area to air completely dry.

o Remove your signage only after the floor is completely dry.

Clean up the Garbage Cans.

neat-tidy-trash-bags

o Get rid of each bag from every wastebasket.

o Ensure that no fluid, from the bags, leak onto the flooring.

o Making use of a Disinfecting Cleaner, scrub the containers well using a non-food brush.

kitchen-trash-cans

o Rinse thoroughly with warm water.

o Dispose of the rinse water into your mop basin.

o Leave the containers to dry completely.

o Re-line the containers with new bags.

o Replace all container back to their required locations.