Livingston Reporting - page 363

Burger bars are becoming the new it thing for social gatherings. It is not necessarily a buffet but it is as easy as one. The great thing is that each person is able to create their own master piece. The best thing is that as the host you aren’t slaving over a plated meal. Burger bars can be fitted to each individual guest’s dietary needs. If you have vegetarians you can have special burgers just for them but also beef burgers for those guests who prefer the real thing. Burger bars are perfect for any type of gathering. Throw together lots of toppings, a few sides, some chips and you have yourself a low key almost maintenance free event.

With so many toppings available how do you decide what to put on your burger bar? You first must decide on the level of work that you are willing to put into maintaining the meal verse socializing with guests. Maybe you want to throw the burgers on and let the rest take care of itself. In this case you need to stick to ingredients that are not going to spoil after a few hours out of the refrigerator. If you are able to balance maintaining the bar and socializing then go for the gusto. Add items that can be maintained with an ice bath so they don’t spoil and all the other extras.

It is a simple concept to throw together on short notice. There many things to consider when putting together a burger bar. First consider what type of meat you want to use for the patties. I suggest making sure you take into consideration each of you guests preferences. Veggie burgers are popular and can be purchased ahead of time. Beef burgers can be bought ahead of time however I would not recommend this type for the serious burger fanatic. Use a mixture of beef that contains a decent fat to beef combination and combine different seasonings for added flavor. This will suit many different taste buds. As for toppings below you will find a thinks to think about for your next burger bar gathering.

Buns: I am shocked at how many types of rolls and buns are out there for use with hamburgers. For the burger bar I like to use things that people wouldn’t think of when making burger at home. Bagels, rye bread, onion rolls, buns that are covered with seeds, pita bread and of course plain buns for guests who like to keep it simple.

Cheeses: Decide whether you want the cheese to be melted on the meat or can you place the cheese on a plate and have guests choose from there. I would suggest a variety of cheese for guests to choose from. Some to think about are Swiss, Cheddar, American, Provolone, Mozzarella or whatever you can think of. Some people even use cream cheese so really prepare for all of your guests different and unique taste buds.

Vegetables: You can choose to sauté the veggies or leave them raw. Many guests would love some sautéed onions, mushrooms and peppers. A quick and easy way to make this happen is to throw them in a packet of tin foil and butter and grill them ahead of time. You can then use a small crock pot to keep them warm for guests to eat later. Other veggies to consider are lettuce, tomatoes, jalapenos, sprouts, dill pickles, bread and butter pickles, relish and cucumbers. Some fruits to consider adding are apples and pineapples. Fruit adds a tangy, sweet kick to every bite.

Other Meats: For those meat eaters who love to pile it on cook some ham, bacon, lamb or sausage ahead of time for guests to have on their beef patty. This will be an added bonus for meat eating guests.

Seasonings and Sauces: Don’t forget the seasoning salt and ground pepper. Consider putting out Cajun spice for those guests that like to spice up there burgers. Sauces to consider are hoisin, barbeque, A-1, ranch and sweet and sour. You will also want to add the standard mustard, ketchup and mayonnaise to complete your burger bar.

Of course not everything in this list needs to be added for a successful burger bar gathering. Include the items that will satisfy the taste buds of your guests. Then sit back and enjoy all the praise you get for the best gathering idea ever.

Peanut butter and jelly, pen and paper, cheese and crackers, all things that just see to go together. Two things that don’t seem like they would go together are pizza and healthy. I will divulge secrets that will turn that into a myth. Nowadays it is possible to choose toppings that will make your pizza healthier than you ever pictured it could be.

Let us start with the base. Everyone thinks pizza must be made with lots of white flour, eggs and oil. I will dispel this myth quickly with some low fat options. I will start with whole wheat flour. Try using whole wheat flour in your crust mixture. The thinner the crust the healthier it will be for you. Another item I like to choose for a super healthy crust option is whole wheat pita bread. This will make sure your pizza still looks like a pizza but adds a healthy crust alternative.

Next let us move into the sauce. Everyone has a different preference in sauce. Some people enjoy thick hearty sauce. Most sauces off the self will contain high amounts of sugar. If you are choosing a sauce from the shelf make sure it contains olive oil, little sugar and contains natural ingredients that you can pronounce. You will not want any ingredients included on the label that you cannot say. I suggest making fresh sauce. It might be more difficult but I promise it will be healthier. Blend Roma tomatoes with extra virgin olive oil, a pinch of salt, lots of garlic and Italian spice. After you remove it from the blender you will have the healthiest sauce for your pizza imaginable.

Toppings and cheese will be the most difficult topping to keep healthy on your pizza. Make sure to keep all blends of cheese healthier by choosing low fat varieties. Another option is to use fresh parmesan instead of any cheese at all. This will give your pizza the hint of cheese flavor without all the calories. When choosing meat toppings think about low fat options such as turkey and chicken. Ham, bacon and sausage are much higher in fat. If you feel these are a must for your pizza just make sure to choose one type and go light. Vegetables are where you can go wild. Cover your pizza with all the onions, peppers, garlic, broccoli, avocados, watercress, squash, and spinach you want. Nuts are also another topping to explore with your pizza. Add some almonds for crunch and health.

I hope you will use these tips the next time your family puts together a pizza night. Choosing healthier options will prevent that feeling we almost always get after eating the fat laden pizza we are accustom to. Healthier options allow natural processing through your body and will leave you ready for some family fun. Enjoy!

Ambience is defined as the mood, character, quality, tone and atmosphere of an environment. It is the single most important word that people can use when describing a restaurant. I know what you are thinking. At first it is what I thought also. What about the food? What about the services? Aren’t these things important too? Yes, of course they are important but ambience is the most important part. The feeling that people get when they are in your establishment will make them return or not. A restaurant could use the best ingredients, hire only the most experienced servers and without the stage being set you have lost that customer forever.

When developing the space for seating within your restaurant take into consideration the size and placement of your tables. Are you going to use square tables or round? Chairs with high back that are soft or hard chairs with low backs? Do you want to be able to have quant quite tables for two or is your restaurant intended for bigger parties and families? Make sure that your space has maximum seating while maintaining the warmth and feel you are choosing to express in your restaurant design.

Noise also needs to be minimized. Make sure that the sounds that are heard within your restaurant are the sounds that you are meaning to be heard. Do you really think your guests want to hear toilets flush or pots and pans banging from the kitchen? Make sure those sounds are muffled and silence is limited. Make sure your music fits the ambience you are creating. Don’t play rock if you are going for an environment inviting to families just like you wouldn’t play Mozart at a bar. Little things like this are so important in the overall picture you are creating.

Something most business owners don’t take into consideration is the temperature of their establishment. Make it pleasing to the majority and make it a temperature that makes people want to stay and eat. Make sure your heating and cooling elements are not hitting customers directly. Also take into consideration that certain spaces will heat the establishment in different ways. Tables set by the kitchen will be warmer so take this into account when placing tables and vents. In order to have an even temperature you will need to have several different thermostats so plan accordingly.

Ambience is also created in the way restaurant facilities are kept. Make sure your cooking areas and restrooms are presentable and inviting to customers that will use them. Another thing you might need to do is rearrange your facility to accommodate for the position of wait staff areas and bathrooms. Customers enjoy sitting in areas where their privacy is maximized and that traffic is minimized. Most guests will not choose areas in the middle of the restaurant so make sure every seat feels like a cozy cove meant just for their party.

People are looking for certain things when they eat out. It matters how an establishments smells, looks and feels. It is important that a customer be relaxed and gable to get what they would like to out of the meal. It is important that if you are serving customers on paper plates and plastic cups your ambience is a backyard bbq. There is something about the way the seats are placed, the type of music that is played, the temperature and even where the bathroom is located. Ambience is the key to making a restaurant successful. Ensure you have the correct ambience for you clientele and the food and service will find their way.