Responsible Alcohol Service this Holiday Season

Make sure that your Servers Act responsibly with Alcohol this Holiday Season

Many Customers spend the Holidays with family and friends, and alcohol is often a part the celebrations. If people get caught up in the excitement, they may consume too much alcohol. Because of this, be especially vigilant when serving drinks during the holidays.




ServSafe Alcohol shares these tips for responsible alcohol service:

Take the time to talk to your guests. This will help you determine the purpose of their visit as well as their intoxication levels. If guests are determined to become intoxicated, you want to know about it. Continue talking to each guest throughout his or her visit.

Watch for changes. You can learn a lot about your guests’ intoxication levels by watching for physical and behavioral changes. Examples include:

• Being overly friendly, unfriendly, depressed or quiet
• Using foul language or becoming loud
• Drinking faster or switching to larger or stronger drinks
• Talking or moving slowly
• Staggering, stumbling or bumping into objects

Watch the count. Some guests may not show physical or behavioral signs of intoxication, so counting their drinks can help you keep track of their consumption. Each of these beverages contains approximately the same amount of alcohol and should be counted as one drink:

1 drink = 5 ounces of wine; 12 ounces of beer; 1½ ounces of 80-proof liquor; 1 ounce of 100-proof liquor

Avoid over-pouring. Over-pouring liquor makes it difficult for guests to accurately track their consumption. Follow drink recipes closely to ensure each drink contains the intended amount of alcohol. If your establishment allows you to free-pour, test your accuracy periodically by using a pour test.

Offer food and appetizers. This is one of the most important things you can do to prevent intoxication and boost Sales. Food helps keep alcohol in the stomach, slowing the rate alcohol reaches the small intestine where most of it is absorbed into the bloodstream. The best food items for this are those high in fat and/or protein. These items are not easily digested, which slows the movement of alcohol into the small intestine.

Offer water. Drinking alcohol can lead to dehydration, making guests thirsty and potentially prone to consume more alcohol than they normally would. You can help by offering water and appetizers with their drinks and refilling water glasses often. This will help keep the guest hydrated and can reduce alcohol consumption.

Put Spicy Foods on Your Menu!

 

Hot and Spicy Foods are on the Trendy list for 2016!  It may have started with siracha, but the demand for hot and spicy flavors in Restaurants and Supermarkets continues to grow as consumers demand more heat from a wider variety of sources. Chili peppers and spices from cayenne to cinnamon are bringing the heat to a range of foods and beverages, including main courses, snacks and even alcohol.

Jalapeno is the most popular spicy pepper on menus, followed by chipotle, according to Datassential MenuTrends. The market researcher found that operators are seeking to make spicy flavors more approachable by adding heat to a traditional, non-spicy sauce such as mayonnaise, ranch, vinaigrette or aioli.

This quest for heat goes hand-in-hand with consumers’ growing familiarity and sense of adventure concerning global cuisines, which often pack a much spicier punch than typical American fare. A recent survey by the National Restaurant Association found that 17% of consumers report eating seven or more cuisines on a monthly basis, and two-thirds eat a wider variety of ethnic cuisines now than they did five years ago. Italian, Mexican and Chinese are the top three cuisines in terms of familiarity, trial and frequency of eating, but Thai, Vietnamese and Southeast Asian are also gaining popularity with American diners.

Technomic named spicy flavors among its 10 top trend predictions for 2016, dubbing their surge in populairty “the sriracha effect.” The food research and consulting firm predicted that chefs will look to branch out from the ubiquitous chili sauce with other global ingredients such as ghost pepper from India; sambal from Southeast Asia; gochujang from Korea; and harissa, sumac and dukka from North Africa.

Beverage makers are burning out a niche with spicy drinks in both the alcoholic and soft drink categories. Non-alcoholic options are mainly juices that tout the functional benefits of spices such as cinnamon and turmeric. Cayenne, which gained popularity as a beverage ingredient thanks to cleanse-focused drinks, is now showing up in products that highlight its spicy flavor rather than its metabolism-boosting properties.

In US bars and liquor stores, the huge popularity of Fireball cinnamon-flavored whiskey has given way to other cinnamon liquors as well as spicier spirits that get their kick from chili peppers, the Wall Street Journal reported. Rogue rolled out a chipotle whiskey and Jim Beam is fighting Fireball with fire with its own cinnamon-infused Kentucky Fire.

How is the spicy trend impacting your menu or product line? Tell us about it in the comments.

 

Choosing the Right Commercial Slicer for You

There are a few questions you need to ask yourself before buying a Commercial Slicer to make sure you are spending your money wisely and it will function to the best of it's abilities.

What will you be slicing?

Understanding how you plan to use the slicer is just the first step in narrowing down your choices.

How many hours per day will you be using the slicer?

Most commercial slicers are designed for light, medium, or heavy duty use. Light duty units typically feature a ¼ HP motor and are fine for one to two hours of slicing daily. Medium duty machines typically feature a ½ HP motor and are designed for 2 to 6 hour of slicing per day. Heavy duty machines will likely feature a ½ -3/4 HP motor and are designed for continuous use.

Will you be slicing Cheese?

The moisture and consistency of cheese makes it difficult to slice. Light Duty slicers are NOT recommended for cheese. Medium duty slicers should be able to handle 1 to 3 hours of cheese slicing per day. Check the manufacturer’s specifications. Heavy duty slicers are recommended if you plan to do more than 2 or 3 hours of cheese slicing daily.

What is the largest diameter you will be slicing?

You need to make sure the slicer blade and carriage are large enough for the intended application. Most are designed to handle products from 7.5" up to 12" in diameter.

What is the thinnest slice you need?

Most commercial slicers will adjust to satisfy any customer’s needs. But if you plan to serve a large volume of paper thin artisan meats like salami, prosciutto, and pancetta, then consider a specialty slicer designed for that application.

Do you need manual or automatic slicing?

Automatic slicers are more expensive, but can pay for themselves in labor savings. They can also prevent repetitive motion injuries. High volume delis and supermarkets often use automatic slicers. Most automatic slicers will have a manual override for versatility and convenience.

What other features do you like?

Once you’ve narrowed down your choices to those commercial slicers that match your size and power requirements, you may want to look for a few other desirable features and benefits.

All commercial slicers come with safety features such as a blade guard and a pusher to hold the product while slicing. These protect fingers and hands. Some slicers may also include:

• A feature that requires the blade to be zeroed before the pusher or carriage can be tilted or removed,
• A safety restart switch.

Features that make cleaning and sanitation easier are also very desirable. Look for:

• a kick stand that holds the slicer up while cleaning beneath it,
• a carriage that tilts for easy cleaning,
• any removable parts that make cleaning easier (removable carriage, blade guard, blade and blade sharpener)
• switches and controls that are located outside of the area where meat juices can drip on them while slicing.

With answers to these questions you should feel better prepared to shop and select the commercial slicer that is right for your operation. If you need more information, visit the websites of the following manufacturers.

Foodservice Trends in 2015

     What's the newest Trends in Foodservice?  Number One is Ethnic Cuisine, Foodies are craving foreign flavors and spices and will pay top dollar too!  Try an appetizer of something Exotic or perhaps highlight something on your Specials and see how it goes before adding it as a permanent dish. 

     Ever hear of an "Ugly" fruit or vegetable?  Ugly fruit and vegetables were all the rage in France last summer? Well, they’re here in America. They’ve actually been here this whole time — just not on most people’s plates, nor in supermarket aisles. A new Oakland-based startup called Imperfect is out to change that. Its founders, three veteran food-waste entrepreneurs, are on a mission to bring ugly produce (they prefer the term “cosmetically challenged”) to, quite literally, your doorstep.  “Our bold vision is for consumers across America to have the option of having a box of Imperfect produce delivered to them weekly, for 30 to 50 percent cheaper than what they’ll find in grocery stores,” said Ben Simon, Imperfect’s cofounder. 

     Seasonal Sour items such as the Lemon and Key Lime are making a Summer splash and not just in Desserts.  Try making a Chicken or Fish dish with Lime instead of Lemon with some fresh herbs!

     Local Sourcing is still a big Trend in 2015.  Chef's are sourcing ingredients from local farms and highlighting on their Menus.  Consumers are enjoying knowing where their food comes from and selecting Menu items that state local sourcing.  China and Flatware are also reflecting a new Rustic feel and image.

     Allergens and Cross-contamination are still a big concern for Foodservice.  Gluten-free, Peanut and Fish allergies are on the radar for Food Prep and Service. 

 

Cheese, Now the Main Course

     Adventurous Restaurant Customers aren’t settling for plain grilled cheese or the same old Swiss on a sandwich, Chefs say. Foodies and their ever-more sophisticated palates are in search of new flavors, and eateries are answering the call with innovative dishes that meld flavors from around the world.

     Rob and Karen Lawlor left Restaurant careers when they bought Denver-based The Truffle Cheese Shop eight years ago and, in addition to selling retail and teaching cheesemaking classes, the shop sells its cheese to a long and growing list of local eateries. In recent years, Denver’s restaurants have gotten more innovative with their menus to feed the increasingly sophisticated palates of their guests, Karen Lawlor said.

     “The restaurants in Denver are more sophisticated than they were even five years ago, and they’re looking for European products as well as local,” she said, “Right now it’s a lot of fresh cheeses, mozzarella, ricotta, fresca. Those are seasonal for us, the fresh milk cheese because animals eat grass and when the grass is in season and fresh, that’s when they are most likely to have fresh milk.”

     Cheesemonger Michel Lemmerling, from the Brick Farm Market in Hopewell, NJ has earned the honor of Chevalier du Taste Fromage, routinely scours the neighborhood and US for the best-quality cheese.  Michel can also help you arrange for a beautiful cheese plate to match any entertaining occasion or is happy to use your own serving ware so that you may simply take it from their market to your table!  The Brick Farm Market also has monthly Cheese Classes.

     Andrea Frizzi, chef and owner of Il Posto in Denver is a Truffle Cheese Shop customer. Frizzi grew up in Milan, the son of a sommelier who learned the culinary trade, first in school and then in a series of restaurant gigs that brought him to Washington, D.C. and eventually Denver. He worked as a consultant on the openings of scores of eateries before opening Il Posto in 2007.

     He’s all for local sourcing when it makes sense, but the Italian menu at his upscale restaurant requires imported Italian cheeses. “I’ve got to use Parmigiano Reggiano, I can’t use a cheese from Wisconsin or California.”

     The menu at Il Posto reflects the more sophisticated tastes, with dishes including Bufala mozzarella Affumicata made with imported burrata, and ricotta gnocchi with imported Grana Padano. “In Italy, there are a lot of small producers doing a lot of stuff that’s really cool. My job is to take whatever we have and be an ambassador for these beautiful cheeses,” he said.  Frizzi says he loves dairy cheese too much to ever give it up. Increasingly, though, guests who eschew dairy cheeses for health or ethical reasons have increasingly tasty plant-based options.

     The menu at Veganized Foods in New Brunswick, N.J., includes 14 items that have some type of house-made, cashew-based vegan cheese, said General Manager El Rachmani.

     The menu at Veganized includes a raw beet ravioli with herbed nut cheese and saffron cream, a tempeh reuben with cashew cheese and a vanilla cheesecake, all made with different versions of the cultured cashew cheese he said.

     “We’ve pretty much been using the same recipe since day one,” he said. “My brother, the chef, has been making this kind of food for a very long time. We started in Brooklyn, were the more advanced vegan chefs have been doing it all over the city.”

     So we better keep up with our knowledge of Cheese!

 

Fire Prevention is Key to your Restaurant

     With more than 8,000 fires strike restaurants each year, operators can help prevent a disaster by installing fire suppression systems, maintaining equipment and training employees.

     Restaurateurs spend a lot of time, money, and effort ensuring their businesses never have to deal with the devastation that a fire can cause. But with a Restaurants’ propensity for open flames, hot cooking equipment, flammable oils, and cleaning chemicals in the kitchen, it’s no surprise that data released by the National Fire Protection Association in 2012 reveals approximately 8,000 restaurants report a fire each year.

     Some things operators can do to prevent fires seem like no-brainers—storing paper products, liquids, and food away from heat and cooking sources; disposing of soiled rags and trash properly; and cleaning ovens and equipment daily. The problem, experts say, is that operators can follow all the precautions and still have a fire wreck their business.

     In 2013, Jim Joyce, owner of Rich’s Restaurant in Cedarburg, Wisconsin, watched a three-alarm fire engulf his Restaurant as a fire that began on the cooking line jumped into the exhaust hood and spread. “It was utter devastation throughout, specifically on the cooking line,” says Ryan Beeck, project manager for Paul Davis Restoration & Remodeling, who led the restoration job. “The bulk of the equipment was damaged beyond any sort of repair. We took everything out, gutted it all, and started from scratch.”

     Joyce used the opportunity to make significant improvements. The last remodel had occurred more than 10 years ago; the revamped Restaurant now has a trendier feel with new interior finishes and an updated menu. Along with changing the Restaurant name to Jim’s Grille when it re-opened in March 2014, Joyce also educated his staff about what to do in case a fire breaks out again.

     “Most times, the work we do is related to grease fires that jump up and then there’s no means to stop it,” Beeck says. “The two biggest things you can do for prevention is to have annual maintenance checks on your equipment, especially anything involving gas, and stick to the cleaning program as prescribed for your exhaust hoods.”

     Outside of arson, the most common form of kitchen fires occur due to cooking equipment, which is why installing an automatic fire-suppression system in the kitchen is crucial. These systems automatically dispense chemicals to suppress the flames and also have a manual switch to shut down the fuel or electric supply to nearby cooking equipment.

     Shane Ray, executive vice president of the National Fire Sprinkler Association, says of all the efforts a restaurateur can exert, fire suppression is the only automatic life- and property-saving one.

     Previous owners of a building also affect the chance of fire. John Rossmiller, regional fire director at Cintas Corporation, which provides fire-protection services to Restaurants, gives an example of this. He says if a bar and grill moves into a space that previously served Chinese food, for instance, it might have an increased risk of fire because Chinese restaurants don’t use the same cookingequipment or oils that bar and grills do—making it crucial the new owners update their fire-suppression systems.

     A sound fire-suppression system is not the only requirement for Restaurants to guard against flames. Restaurants with up-to-date fire-suppression systems must still ensure regular cleanings of exhaust systems, Rossmiller says.

     Phil Ackland, who has worked in commercial kitchen safety education for more than 25 years, serves as a commercial kitchen fire investigator and prevention specialist. He says restaurant owners make too many decisions based on the price of a bid from exhaust cleaners, and that can lead to devastation.  “There are a number of exhaust systems that cannot be cleaned properly without additional access [such as openings in the duct work],” he explains. Restaurants should shoulder any additional expense and deal with a reputable company to ensure exhaust systems are up to par, he adds.

Everyday Checks

     Beyond regular checks on fire-suppression and exhaust systems, there are plenty of things a Restaurant can do to protect itself from a fire. Having a Class K fire extinguisher at the ready is vital in case of a kitchen fire involving grease, fats, and oils that burn at high temperatures. For other accidents, such as paper, wood, plastic, and electrical fires, portable ABC extinguishers should be in an easy-to-reach location.

     If a fire does break out during regular business hours, the most important thing for staff to do is remain calm and lead everyone out of the building. All staff should be trained in emergency preparedness and at least one worker per shift should understand how to shut off gas and electrical power.

     Mike Amidzich offers one more tip to operators and employees. The owner of the 44-year-old Pizza Man in Milwaukee suffered $3 million in damages after a 2010 fire started by an arsonist at a nearby business destroyed his own eatery. He is in the process of re-opening Pizza Man at a different location with a more extensive sprinkler system in toe.

     “One thing I would recommend is not to keep personal items in the Restaurant. Keep them off premise—the pictures, awards, and other meaningful items,” Amidzich says. “You just never know.”