Did you know Americans on average eat 100 acres of pizza a day, or 350 slices of pizza per second? 93 percent of Americans eat at least one pizza per month. 3 billion pizzas are sold in the U.S. each year and the annual pizza sales revenue is $40 billion dollars.
Did you realize 4 out of 5 of the top pizza ordering days are right around the corner? The top five crazy-busy pizza days are Halloween, the night before Thanksgiving, New Year’s Eve, New Year’s Day and Super Bowl Sunday. This is a great time to make sure you are equipped to roll in the dough.
The crust is a tell tale sign of a good pizza.
A great way to mix up the crust is with a Doyon Dough mixer. That is only if you’re looking to make the best pizza in town. Doyon mixers can keep up with the most demanding crowds with their cast iron frame and lead-free enamel coating. These mixers have everything you need including a stainless steel bowl; mixing hook, whip and flat beater; manual bowl lift and integrated ingredient chute. Extra features include auto shut-offs, separate controls and cool down features designed to protect the operator and the machine.
Dough mixers have been a significant advancement in the production of pizzas. Keeping up with the high demand of quality pizzas requires having the right equipment in your prep department.
Click here for Doyon’s video library, which includes mixer demonstrations.
The prospect of selecting the right glass for the right wine can be a challenge if you’re uninitiated in the world of wine. In general, wine glasses are categorized as Red Wine Glasses, White Wine Glasses or Champagne Glasses, but among enthusiasts, these broader categories can be broken down even further.
For example, the broader category of “Red Wine Glass” can include Bordeaux Glasses, Pinot Noir Glasses, Beaujolais Glasses and even Chianti Glasses. With seemingly infinite variations in style and pattern, lines quickly become blurred and it’s easy to get hung up on wine glass classification.
When making a decision for your tabletop, it’s helpful to know about the basic form and function of the most popular wine glass patterns. Wine glasses are almost always formed with a stem, a foot and a bowl. Wine is served in stemware, primarily to prevent the transfer of body heat from hand to beverage.
What makes American Panel walk-in units so great is the company’s attention to detail. Kevin Graham of American Panel recently highlighted a couple of especially valuable features.
The first is the Walk-in Monitoring System which allow operators to control the unit’s temperature, the lights inside it and the door-frame heater. Ultimately, the monitoring system helps the walk-in be extremely energy efficient.
Kevin also explained how the door frame itself is made of fiberglass reinforced polymer which makes it extra strong and extra resistant to heat and warping. The last feature covered in the video above is the diamond aluminum tread plated floor, which looks great and is NSF certified. Click here for more from American Panel.
It is difficult to not only clean, but “sanitize” dishes. A low-temp system typically washes dirty dishes at 120°F, and rinses them with a chemical sanitizing solution to neutralize any remaining bacteria or pathogens. A high-temp system washes dishes at 160°F and then rinses them at 180°F, relying on heat to sanitize the dishes.
Low-temp systems do not require a “booster” water heater or a large electrical service, so they’re typically less expensive to manufacture and install. The tradeoff is the ongoing expense of a steady chemical supply that can quickly erase your initial savings. Another tradeoff is their limited application. Low-temp machines are not recommended for stemware. The glasses can come out streaked, spotted or with lingering lipstick stains.
Low Temp Sanitizing (120°F wash, Chemical solution rinse)
PROS
CONS
Uses standard 115 v electrical service
Requires chemical sanitizer for rinse cycle
Less expensive to manufacture and purchase (no booster heater)
Not recommended for stemware
Installation can be less expensive (no need to upgrade electric service or existing water heater)
Potentially higher reject rate (and labor costs) due to difficulty with proteins, fats and lipstick
Can be purchased or leased from chemical companies in most markets
Corrosive sanitizer can limit service life of machine
Dishes come out cooler to the touch
Dishes come out wet
High Temp Cleaning (160°F wash, 180°F rinse)
PROS
CONS
Unlimited applications
Requires booster water heater
Hot water cuts through grease, proteins, lipstick
Requires larger electrical service
Machine lasts longer without caustic sanitizer
Typically more expensive to manufacture and purchase due to booster heater
Lower chemical costs
Installation can be more expensive if electrical upgrades or a new hot water heater are needed
Less spotting
“Green” solution
High-temp systems typically cost more at startup, but once running, there are no chemical sanitizers to buy. High-temp systems also have limitless applications. Hotter water cuts through grease, proteins and lipstick. They’re better for stemware and have a much lower reject rate in general. High-temp machines typically last longer because they don’t have corrosive chemicals constantly eating away at their interior.
Champion Industries makes both low-temp and high-temp machines. For overall performance, longevity and a “greener” option, many people prefer the high-temp solution for most applications, but there are situations where a low-temp machine might be the best choice.
…Especially when it comes to the different types of plastics used to make foodservice products from tongs, to food pans, to sugar caddies.
Different types of plastics are better suited for certain products than others. The chart below is a great breakdown of this point. Click here for the full PDF of the chart below.
The characteristics of the type of plastics determine what products are made from it. For example, High Heat (BPA Free), is the only plastic in this chart safe for use above 275°F. So it’s used to make food pans that are often used to cook, store and reheat food, and it’s fully microwave-safe.
It’s also important to note that there are two different types of Polypropylene. The first is PPY HOMO Copolymer. This plastic is relatively frail and not see-through at all, however it is very chemical-resistant and flexible. It’s great for café trays and Bain Maries. The other type of Polypropylene is LD, HD, Impact Copolymer. This version is twice as strong as the other and can exhibit significantly more clarity. These characteristics make it better for trashcans, food-pan lids and different styles of racks.
Two different plastics can be used for making tumblers. Both SAN and Polycarbonate PC share similar qualities that make them appropriate to use for plastic drinkware. However, the biggest difference is that Polycarbonate is significantly stronger. So although they’re the same end product, the different plastics can determine the durability of the product and ultimately its price point.
Other Notes:
– Polystyrene High Impact is the only plastic that’s NOT dishwasher safe
– Melamine and Fiberglass are the only plastics that are NOT recyclable.
– Polycarbonate, Tritan and High Heat are the strongest plastics.
Next time you’re working with products made from plastic take note of what type of plastic they’re made from. The material will give you a great idea of the products strengths, weaknesses and proper use.
Tuxton has recently launched its brand new Linx Collection of dinnerware. The collection features an assortment of uniquely designed trays, cups and bowls. The assortment and their thoughtful design allows operators to perfectly marry a customized look with practical service. Both tray designs feature a well into which any of the cups or bowls fit snugly. This is a very useful feature that makes for an easy delivery from kitchen to table. Also, the pairing of a tray with any one of the bowls, cups or mini serving dishes allows for serving a main course and a side all in one package. The Linx line is in stock and ready to ship. Click here for more information on the Linx Collection.
Until recently the basic rule for commercial gas fryers fell into one of two categories: the bottom fry design or the tube type design. The introduction of the PowerFry VK Series fryer by Vulcan bent that rule. They bent a few tubes too. Looking into the tank of a PowerFry you didn’t see the traditional uniform and parallel heating tubes running front to back. Instead you saw an odd arrangement of bent, crimped and variable sized pipes, all welded together, and looking more like something you’d find on a Harley Davidson than a fryer.
With a burner mounted to one end, the pipe arrangement created a sealed combustion chamber with no flame impingement. Interior baffles slowed down the flow of exhaust gasses and dispersed the heat. Multiple bends in the pipe meant that hot gasses passed through the length of the oil tank not once, but five times before venting up the flu. In short, this whole process transferred more heat energy into the cooking oil and less out to the exhaust and that lead to the highest Cooking Energy Efficiency ratings in the industry.
October is National Chili Month, and what a perfect time of year for a pot of chili. The weather is starting to turn, it’s football season, and chili is the perfect way to stay warm and enjoy the game.
In commercial operations, chili is often prepared ahead of time and then warmed up and held at serving temperature. This process uses a rethermalizer. There are three methods by which rethermalizers do their job. Deciding on the right rethermalizer should start with understanding these methods.
The first and most common method is the wet method. In units that implement this method, a well or water bath typically holds around five cups of water, depending on total capacity. When the unit is plugged in and turned on, it heats the water. The food pot is placed in the hot water bath. This is the classic soup rethermalizer. The upside is that it heats up food to safe temperatures in a reasonable amount of time without scorching. The downside is that the water needs to be replaced regularly. These units can also require some extra cleaning, especially if the water isn’t replenished frequently enough.
The second type of soup or chili rethermalizer utilizes the direct-heat method. These units feature heating coils that wrap around the unit and transfer heat directly to the cold food pot. Much more efficient than the wet method, these units may require additional attention to make sure that food is stirred and doesn’t scorch.
The final rethermalizer technology features induction heating. In induction rethermalizers, an induction heat source at the bottom-center of the well heats up the induction-ready food pot and the heat is then transferred directly to the food. This is the most efficient type of rethermalizer, however they are not compatible with just any food pots. They require specific, induction-ready pots.
No matter the method, soup rethermalizers are a great way to warm up previously cooked chili and serve it nice and warm on any football Sunday during National Chili Month.
October is National Seafood Month. So we thought we’d talk a little bit about the utensils required to prepare seafood correctly.
Dexter-Russell has a wide range of knives specifically meant to help prepare seafood. Here are the knives best suited for seared scallops, oysters Rockefeller, baked salmon and a few other delicacies from the sea.
Dexter’s 2-inch Scallop Knife, a member of the Sani-Safe® line, features a DEXSTEELTM stain-free, high-carbon steel blade. The size and shape of this knife are perfect for opening a scallop shell and carving out the delectable meat inside.
When it comes to shucking oysters, Dexter offers several combinations of blades and handles for an oyster knife to fit each different type of oyster. Dexter’s steel blades range from 2 ¾ – 4 inches in length and feature a pointed tip for scraping the oyster meat from its shell. The blades are paired with handles that are either teardrop shaped or more elongated. The different combinations are designed for different types of oysters from different regions throughout the country, including New Haven, Galveston, Providence and Boston. In addition to the different shaped handles, they come in classic wood and polypropylene, the signature of the Sani-Safe® line.
For those operators that receive their fish fresh and whole, Dexter’s Fisherman’s Flex 6-inch fillet knife is perfect for filleting. The blade on this knife is extremely flexible making it easy for operators to separate the meat from the skin on any fish filet. This knife also features Dexter’s patented V-Lo, state-of-the-art handle that offers both comfort and control.
Once the fish has been filleted, Dexter’s Sani-Safe line includes a 6-inch boning knife for the final steps of fish prep. The knife features a slip-resistant, easy-to-clean handle with a seamless blade-to-handle seal that makes the knives extremely easy to keep clean. The blades are also made from DEXSTEELTM.
These are just a few of the pieces of cutlery available from Dexter specific to seafood. For more from Dexter, click here.
We love food trucks whether it’s falafel wagons, hotdog carts or taco trucks. The most popular street foods are cheap, fast and filling. We want to make sure that they’re safe as well. Last week we talked about the importance of hand washing stations in restaurants, but if you have a food truck it can be challenging to have a hand washing station. For many mobile operators, installing a hand washing station isn’t necessarily simple, if it’s possible at all.
Recently the Boston Glove put together an article about food trucks and the corresponding health violations. (Kotz, Deborah. “Food truck popularity outrunning hygiene,” The Boston Globe – Metro, August 4, 2013, Digital). Six out of the first seven food trucks mentioned in this article were cited for failure to provide water for employees to wash their hands. Lakeside Foodservice has a solution for these remote servers with mobile Hand Washing Station that can be set up almost anywhere.
Lakeside’s Hand Washing-Station features a durable stainless steel sink and locking cabinet on wheels. The cabinet holds either five or ten gallons of fresh water, depending on model, with a 7 or 14-gallon wastewater tank. It also holds a liquid soap container, a water pump and a heating unit for warm water. Cold-water-only or warm-water-only units are available. The Station also features heavy-duty chrome plated brass faucets, paddle handles and a chrome plated soap dispenser mounted next to the sink. A bar for roll-type paper towels is mounted on the side, or you can order a folded paper towel dispenser. Five-inch non-skid casters with two locks make it easy to maneuver.
There are many outdoor and remote food service applications where the Lakeside Hand-Washing Station will keep customers safe and satisfy the local health inspector. Both remote operator and street food connoisseur alike should applaud Lakeside for manufacturing products that keep us safe and keep our favorite dining traditions alive.
We love food trucks whether it’s falafel wagons, hotdog carts or taco trucks. The most popular street foods are cheap, fast and filling. We want to make sure that they’re safe as well. Last week we talked about the importance of hand washing stations in restaurants, but if you have a food truck it can be challenging to have a hand washing station. For many mobile operators, installing a hand washing station isn’t necessarily simple, if it’s possible at all.