Latest News and Tips from HSG

December 28, 2020 In Uncategorized

Eight Frozen Cocktails for the Winter Months

Does your bar blender gather dust from November through April, only to roar back to life when it’s margarita season? This winter, put the blender back to work by mixing some frozen cocktails that will invigorate your cocktail program. Frozen Cocktails for the Winter Months may sound like an oxymoron. BUT! There is a secret to selling frozen drinks in winter. And it is simple – you just need to channel your customers’ seasonal moods. In the article below originally posted by our factory partners Hamilton Beach Commercial, we will tell you how.

Frozen Cocktails for the Winter Months

But first, remember the basics of successful drink blending: Always put liquid ingredients in the jar first. Follow by adding solid ingredients such as fruit and ice. And for a consistent blend every time, invest in a powerful, commercial-quality bar blender.

Festive frozen cocktails for December

In December, everyone’s in the holiday mood. Flavors of the season include peppermint, chocolate, orange, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg and ginger. And while most people associates the holiday month with warm drinks: hot toddies, hot buttered rum and hot chocolate, novelty always sells — so why not put an icy spin on traditional flavors?

  • Frozen Hot Chocolate Martini – This recipe from Sandra Lee, made with hot cocoa mix and vanilla vodka, is as simple as it gets — and will warm chocolate lovers’  hearts.
  • Frozen Dark and Stormy – This frozen cocktail from Delish is like Christmas in July: the gingery bite is appealing in winter, while the rum and lime evoke the tropics.
Virtuous frozen cocktails for January

In January, we’re all nursing an overindulgence hangover. No more chocolate. No more eggnog. And for the love of butter, no more cookies. At the same time, we’re not ready to trade our cocktails for swiss-chard smoothies just yet. Offer a frozen-cocktail menu that speaks to guests’ desire to cleanse their palates and start fresh. Or, since it’s Drynuary for some, why not serve refreshing mocktails?

  • Frozen Gin and Tonic – Did you know that the gin and tonic was originally devised as a cure for malaria? Tonic water was invented to make bitter quinine powder, a malaria remedy, palatable to British colonists. They soon realized it was easier to drink if they added a healthy dose of gin. This medicinal drink is even better as a frozen winter cocktail. This recipe from Serious Eats is mixed in advance, speeding bar service.
  • Frozen Cranberry Margarito – The happy child of a mojito and a margarita, this winter cocktail from Southern Living refreshes with tart cranberry, lime and a salt-sugar rim.
Tropical frozen cocktails for February

In February, we’re all feeling envious. Everyone is Instagramming their sunny getaways to Cabo or Cancun (or at least, that’s how it’s been in years past! Here’s hoping for travel to become the norm again – really soon!!!) Since we can’t get away due to the current world situation, we can at least enjoy a little taste of the tropics!

  • Winter Margarita – We love this recipe from bartender Tristan Willey, which includes an egg white, reposado tequila and mezcal: “It gives you those summer flavors,” he says, “but with the thickness of the body and the smoke of the mezcal.” Willey says to shake with ice, but we suggest blending for a frozen treat.
  • Kahlua Colada – This frozen cocktail recipe, originally from Bartender Magazine, has been a runaway hit on Hamilton Beach Commercial’s blog for two years running. The combination of rich Kahlua with coconut and pineapple is unusual, but it works.
Irish frozen cocktails for March

With spring right around the corner, your guests are feeling optimistic. And Irish. Very Irish. But blended cocktails don’t need to be green to be perfect for the season.

  • Frozen Irish Coffee – The French Quarter bar Erin Rose lays claim to inventing this delectable frozen drink, although the owners won’t divulge the recipe. Bar manager Rhiannon Enlil tells Imbibe magazine it’s made with local dairy, local coffee, brandy and coffee liqueur, then sprinkled with coffee grounds. This version, made with whiskey, hails from the Hinky Dinks bar in Sydney.
  • Spiced Clover Shake – This blended combination of beer and chocolate ice cream is unconventional, but delicious. The recipe, originally from Monin, calls for amber beer, but we think Guinness or another Irish stout would work beautifully.

And voila — it’s spring again. Time to start blending margaritas…

 

Original post: So Cold They’re Hot: Eight Frozen Cocktails for the Winter Months 

 

December 3, 2020 In COVID-19, News, Products

Top 3 Products for Facility Safety this Winter

The holidays and winter season is quickly approaching and we are always thinking about safety – from COVID-19, to cold & flu, to slip & fall prevention. That is why we are so thrilled that our factory partner NYCO offers the 3 products highlighted below to keep your facility safe and protected – especially during the cold season!

Trax Buster Ice Melt Film Dissolver

3 Products for Facility Safety

Trax-Buster is your go-to ice melt film dissolver to keep floors protected from caustic ice melt that gets tracked into your facility. Trax-Buster is in high demand, so now is a great time to stock up, before the winter brings in slush and snow.

Trax Buster has the following benefits:

  • neutralizes harmful ice melt residue
  • prolongs the life/beauty of hard floors and carpets
  • neutralizes salt residue on wood, concrete, metal and hydraulic lines

 

Sani-Spritz Spray – Effective in JUST 3 MINUTES!

3 Products for Facility Safety The Sani Spritz RTU kills the virus that causes COVID-19 in just three minutes! Additionally, the Influenza A virus that causes the flu, succumbs to this spray in just one minute! Shorter kill time means faster cleaning when performing disinfecting procedures. So, keep your facility and the people in it safe this winter with the Sani Spritz Spray RTU.

Sani-Spritz Spray is also approved for use on hard surfaces against emerging viral pathogens

 

 

 

Alco-Gel Plus Hand Sanitizer

3 Products for Facility Safety

Alco-Gel Plus Hand Sanitizer is able to kill 99.99% of common illness-causing germs. It is sold in 4×1 cases with 2 convenient hand pumps. You can conveniently place the Alco-Gel Plus anywhere in your facility with the hands-free automatic dispenser and dispenser stand. If you prefer, you can simply place it on the free-standing gallon dispenser stand. Alco-Gel Plus contains 75% Isopropyl Alcohol, as recommended by the FDA.

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you have any questions on these top 3 products for facility safety, please let us know!

October 22, 2020 In News, Products

How to Make the Most of a Ghost Kitchen

With the help of Hamilton Beach Commerical, today we are finding out how to make the most of a ghost kitchen.

Is a restaurant still a restaurant without tables, servers or diners? Well, it definitely is now!

More than half of U.S. operators have turned to ghost kitchens for some or all of their delivery orders, research by Technomic and the National Restaurant Association reveals. Before the pandemic, just 15% used a ghost kitchen — that is, a commercial kitchen that only makes food for delivery and/or takeout.Ghost-kitchen-prep

A ghost kitchen (or dark kitchen, or virtual kitchen) can boost a burgeoning delivery business, increase profit margins, cut staffing costs and help see restaurants through a slump in in-person dining. But the prospect of paying a lot for a brand-new facility may give restaurateurs pause.

Here’s the good news: You don’t have to start from scratch! Here are five ways to use the ghost-kitchen model that require minimal investment up front.

 

1. Using an existing restaurant kitchen as a ghost kitchen for a new brand 

Italian fast-casual chain Fazoli’s tested a delivery-only wing concept, Wingville, in early 2020. It used its own kitchens to launch the new online brand while keeping it separate from Fazoli’s core menu. While wings may seem a far cry from baked ziti and meatballs, they proved popular — and profitable. The pilot program boosted sales by nearly 11%, Restaurant Business reports. Seeing this success, Fazoli’s decided to bring the wings in-house at all locations, for dine-in, takeout and delivery.

The appeal of wings is that they’re simple to make and require little upfront investment. Fazoli’s had to add fryers to all of its kitchens, but saw its ROI realized in about four months. Not only that, but the new fryers are allowing the company to add new menu items.

Thinking about doing something similar? Consider how a new piece of equipment can help you launch a new line or boost take-out tickets. Examples:

 

2. Joining forces with other brands in a single ghost kitchen 

Here’s a fresh approach: One kitchen, many menus. BBQ Holdings, which owns four brands, was concerned about underworked staff and falling revenue. So the kitchens of its Granite City locations, in addition to making their sliders and flatbreads, started preparing Famous Dave’s barbecue for delivery only. Then, nine Famous Dave’s locations began serving as ghost kitchens for Hayward’s Hen House, a delivery-only chicken concept.

Cross-training staff and purchasing equipment required an initial investment of $50,000 per location, Jeff Crivello, BBQ Holdings’ chief executive, told The Washington Post: “Without having to pay for additional rent, utilities or staff…he expects each ghost kitchen to produce $6,000 to $12,000 in additional sales per week.” Margins are much higher too, compared to traditional sit-down dining.

It’s not only multi-brand companies that are trying this approach. Franklin Junction is a new digital platform that “uses a data-driven demand-matching process that allows restaurants to produce and sell popular menu items from a carefully curated roster of established restaurant brands which are generally not yet available in the market area of the host facilities,” according to the company. With this model, a restaurant could sell Wow Bao Asian Buns and Fuzzy’s Tacos (two participating brands) in addition to its own menu items, increasing revenue without cutting into market share.

 

3. Making the move to a co-working or mobile kitchen 

The concept of a shared commercial kitchen isn’t new, but the popularity of these places has gotten a rocket-fuel boost from the increased demand for delivery. One prominent example is PREP in Atlanta, a massive culinary campus with facilities for bakers, caterers, food truck operators, franchises and entrepreneurs. PREP provides shared and private kitchen spaces as well as services like procurement, marketing, licensing and mentoring.

 

4. Letting another ghost kitchen capitalize on your concept 

Reef Technology turns the ghost-kitchen model on its head. The company installs mobile kitchens, “transforming these pieces of underutilized urban real estate, aka parking lots, into last-block neighborhood hubs providing essential services,” says Alan Philips, the company’s chief creative officer. Reef then enters into a partnership with restaurant brands whereby Reef’s kitchen and staff make branded menu items for delivery. Each kitchen may turn out food from multiple brands. Reef keeps the revenue and pays the restaurants a royalty percentage every month.

 

5. Running micro-branded concepts from a restaurant kitchen 

In Richmond, Virginia, where Hamilton Beach Commercial is based, one fine-dining superstar is Longoven. (Its chef, Andrew Manning, helped us perfect the PrimaVac line of vacuum chamber sealers; get his best tips here.) This much-lauded restaurant got its start as a pop-up, and during the pandemic has proved its versatility by expanding into the lunchtime daypart. It opened Fitzroy & Herrera Bakery, a window-service bakery serving seasonal pastries, baked goods and lunch. (Check out the delectable Instagram feed!)

September 29, 2020 In News, Products

The New Wave of Creative Coffee Cocktails

It’s national coffee day and today, we are sharing some interesting and exciting information on creative coffee cocktails, courtesy of our factory partners Hamilton Beach Commercial.

The espresso martini was born in a scene right out of Ab Fab. In 1983, an actress or model (depending on who’s telling the story) walked into London’s Soho Brasserie and asked for a drink that would “wake me up and [mess] me up.” Bartender Dick Bradsell crafted a high-octane cocktail that would become legendary: espresso, vodka, Tia Maria, Kahlua and sugar syrup. The drink became a symbol of ‘90s bar culture, growing sweeter and stickier until it fell out of favor. Now, bartenders are getting excited about coffee cocktails once more. Creative Coffee Cocktails as told by Hamilton Beach Commercial

“As we continue the third generation coffee movement in the U.S., I expect to see a celebration of specialty coffee in cocktail bars. … Breathing new life to old caffeinated cocktails is an easy pivot that the large majority of Americans can get excited about,” Stephen Kurpinksy, president of the United States Bartenders Guild San Diego Chapter, tells VinePair. Here’s a look at some of the exciting trends we’re seeing in coffee specialty drinks.

Cold Brew Coffee + Vodka Drinks

It’s so simple… and so strong. DBL BLK, a bottled version in Colorado, was born out of a very-Denver dilemma: “We continued to complain about the same two problems: one, we love to ski and hike but don’t enjoy beers in the morning, and two, the brunch drink scene needed some disruption,” says DBL BLK co-founder Matt Wickiser. Their solution: cold brew coffee and craft vodka, canned.

Larger companies have gotten in on the canned hard-coffee trend by mixing cold brew with agave wine (Café Agave) or malt liquor (La Colombe Hard Cold Brew Coffee). But neither sounds as delightful as a real cocktail made with intensely flavorful cold brew coffee.

Coffee + Citrus Drinks 

Coffee and citrus are natural companions. That’s why in Italy, espresso is often served with a slim twist of lemon. You’ll find this same refreshing combination in coffee cocktails, such as the Turkish Coffee Sour (coffee, spiced rum and lemon juice) or the Alive and Kicking (coffee, fernet, amaro and Orangerie). Or, there’s the coffee Negroni. “It’s nothing but caffeine and alcohol, and maybe a bit of orange peel, which you could also eat if you’re feeling a touch of scurvy. There’s nothing in it to drag you down.”

Hamilton Beach Commercial citrus juicers are the gold standard in the restaurant industry, from the classic manual Model 932 to the durable Hamilton Beach Commercial Electric Citrus Juicer.

Coffee + Brandy Drinks

Adios, Irish coffee. Hola, carajillo. This Spanish cocktail made with hot coffee is simply delicious — and fortifying. The version popular in Mexico is made with Licor 43, a liquor flavored with vanilla and 42 other herbs and spices. First, pour Licor 43 over ice cubes; then, add hot espresso and stir.

There are two ways to order carajillo in Mexico City, Punch says. Puesto means on the rocks. If you ask for it shakeado—like the Italian shakerato, derived from the English word “shaken”—the bartender will intervene, whipping the drink to a healthy froth in a cocktail shaker, then pouring over ice into a lowball glass.”

Coffee + Tonic Drinks

As customers are demanding refreshing, non-alcoholic drinks, the espresso tonic is having a comeback!  Koppi, a roaster in Helsingborg, Sweden, is credited with inventing the Kaffe Tonic. It is a simple combination of espresso and tonic water, poured over ice. Anna Lunell, a founder of Koppi, shares the secrets to making it great:

  • Lots of ice in a large glass
  • High-quality tonic water, garnished with citrus
  • A fruity espresso that complements the bitter tonic
Coffee + Blender Drinks

Speaking of creative coffee cocktails – do you remember the Frozen Mudslide? It’s hard to say no to ice cream, Kahlua, Bailey’s and vodka. But it’s more a dessert than a drink, and there are many other creative ways to make a blended coffee cocktail. Boozy frozen espresso is creamy but much less sweet. From Bacardi, there’s the Coffee Colada: pina colada mix, rum and cold coffee, with an orange garnish.

What about nonalcoholic blended coffee drinks? Polish barista Agnieszka Rojewska won the 2018 World Barista Championship with an innovative mixture of passionfruit syrup, rooibos cold brew infusion, washed milk and espresso, all combined with a Hamilton Beach Commercial blender. “It aerated it a lot so the texture was like marshmallow, almost,” Rojewska says. “Blending espresso does magic for texture.” Get the recipe for her signature drink.

We hope you have enjoyed this article on creative coffee cocktails. You can discover all Hamilton Beach Commercial’s equipment solutions for coffee shops and bars/cafés here.