02.20.2012

They may look like scallions on steroids, but leeks have a mellow flavor all their own. Leeks are a versatile vegetable that has not quite received the same appreciation in the United States as it has in Europe.

Like onions, to which they are related, leeks have a milder and sweeter flavor than onions and crunchy texture when cooked. They are frequently used as a base for soups or stews but they are just as good sliced on a salad. Leeks are free of many of the unpleasant characteristics of its family members like harsh odors and aftertaste.

Principle varieties grown in the United States include the popular American Flag (or London Flag), Blue Leaf, Caretan (or Winter) and the Musselburg. California, New Jersey, Michigan and Virginia are traditional growing areas. Leeks grow best in cool to moderate climates. Leeks are available year-round with supplies peaking from October through May.

If your intrigued by the Leek but baffled about what to do with it, hop on the Internet and search for a recipe that makes fits your fancy.

When a company creates a website, they have several options. They can have a company code the site and then take care of all updates or they can have their design company use what is called a content management system (CMS). Content management systems have built in administrative backend that allows users to log in and make updates as needs thus saving time and money to smaller companies.

Content Management systems are great because, one, they can save the design/developer a lot of time in getting a site up and running thus saving you money. They can be built, and with the use of plugins, be search engine friendly, meaning when you publish information, you can put more page into the search index, and more freedom in trying to get higher organic search engine rankings.

Types of Content Management Systems

There are many different content management systems out there, some are proprietary, and some open-source. Open-source meaning , the CMS is free and you can get free of pay for template designs. There is also a large development community that supports  the system to constantly improve it. Propriety, on the other hand, means there is using not a lot of upfront cost, but you pay huge monthly fees for hosting. One would usually find these in specific industries. So for example, if you just opened a CPA firm, you could go with a provider for already has all the bells and whistles expected in a CPA site, such as calculators, forms, etc. This is a great way to get a polished web presence up and running quickly. The catch is that, it’s their software. You have little flexibility in changing the site, meaning access to the code if you were so included, and sometimes limited SEO capabilities. The biggest problem as stated above, is if you wanted to move to a new hosting provider, you can’t take the site with you, as it is propriety software.

• drupal (full website cms)
• Joomla (full website cms)
• wordpress (blog cms)
• zencart (shopping cart cms)\
• Blogger (blog CMS)
• phpBB (forum cms)

Benefits and Drawbacks of Open Source CMS

Sometimes they can be hard to set up, but all of the top hosting providers out there will automatically install it for you and the CMS walks you through the process of seeting up the site. Second, is the support factor, there are forums of users that will answers any questions you might have.

Some of the drawbacks of open-source systems are some out of the box have a bit of a learning curve but then they offer more customization.

02.13.2012

If you’re looking for different ways to spice up your soups, salads and vegetable dishes try Daikon. Also known as a Japanese or Oriental radish, Daikon resembles a white carrot and is slightly hotter than a traditional radish. Daikon is found almost year-round from California and weighs between one-half and two pounds and averages a foot long.

There are four main varieties: The Mino Early, Early 40 Days, Miyashige Green Neck Stump and Hybrid Minowase Summer Cross. Fresh daikon should be firm, smooth and shiny. Daikon loses moisture quickly and can become soft and lose their flavor so keep them cold at all times.

Daikon can be diced, sliced, slivered or grated and added to relishes, salads, vegetables and poultry and seafood dishes. Daikon contains vitamin C and has about 10 calories per half cup. Spice up you food and spice up your life.

Let’s take out poor cash management, poor location, poor lease negotiations, etc. from the picture for a minute. We have worked with many restaurants helping with operations and marketing. I am always amazed how many restaurants think they can make it if they if they have good food and service. Marketing is just something that is an afterthought. I do not mean marketing in the traditional sense, but actually being a marketing-centric company as opposed to a sales-centric company. Not sure of the difference?

Marketing-centric companies understand that marketing involves every facet of their business. From the second a customer pulls into the parking lot. How they are greeted, staff training, pricing, sales, PR product development, packaging, and customer service.

We all know the old 80/20 rule. 80 % of sales usually comes from 20% of your customers. So why do some restaurants try so hard to get new customers. The reason is they have failed at satisfying their existing customers’ needs. It is so much easier to increase customer loyally (and cheaper) than having to promote your establishment for new clients. Problem is, this escapes so many business owners.

Think about if you could just increase volume from your existing clients from say, 15, to 50%. These clients are the one you want to target and keep happy. This is why having a well-trained staff that are happy to be there will serve you well.

Bottom line, train your staff, take care of every client as if they are your only client, keep them up to date on what’s happening at your establishment, create loyalty programs for them, and I guarantee, you won’t spend a ton of money trying to find new customers.

HACCP UPDATE

Potentially Hazardous Food: Cut Melons

It’s not new information that cut melons are on the FDA’s list of potentially hazardous food  (PHF). What might be new information is the reason why melons are considered a PHF. Since melons grow on the ground, their rinds are more likely to come in contact with pathogenic bacteria from the soil, water, or manure. Melons also have an external texture that is favorable to bacteria. The porous rind of cantaloupes, watermelon, and honeydew allows bacteria to pass through the surface when cutting. In the case of cantaloupes, the unique texture of the rind enables bacteria to stick easily and remain alive even after harvesting.

Once they reach a food facility, melons can pose a serious risk of foodborne illness if not properly washed and refrigerated. The FDA recommends the following steps to keep fresh melon safe for customers:

• Inspect melon rinds for cracks or other damage prior to preparation; avoid use if damage is found.
• Wash melons under cool running water, removing surface dirt. Scrub rind with a clean produce brush.
•  Wash hands properly before cutting melons.
•  Ensure food contact surfaces are sanitized before use.
• Most importantly, ensure cut melons are refrigerated at 40F or below once cut.

Follow these guidelines to ensure that cut melons never become a source of foodborne

illness for your customers. Make sure proper handling is hardwired in orientation/training your HACCP plan as well as SOP’s

By: Keith Molesworth

02.06.2012

Peas belong to the vegetable family known as legumes whose plants produce pods with enclosed seeds. Legumes are protein-rich, low fat, and are a nutritious addition to any meal. In fact, only lima beans are a better vegetable source of protein than peas. Peas take so well to freezing that only 5% of the nation’s pea crop is sold fresh. Most of the pea crop sold is canned, frozen and to a lesser degree, dried.

California is the leading producer of peas, which are available year-round, with a peak season of February through September. New York, South Carolina, Oregon, New Mexico, Florida, Washington, New Jersey and Virginia are also pea-producing states. Peas are divided into 2 categories: those with edible pods and those without them. Green Pea, English Pea and Garden Pea all fall into the non-edible category. Snap peas look like miniature versions of the green pea pods, except the snap pea pods are edible. Sugar Snap and Sugar Daddy are two of the snap pea varieties. Snow Peas used to be only found in Chinese restaurants but now they are available everywhere. These pale green edible pods are flat and wide, with the outlines of the little peas visible through the pods. So whether you choose frozen or fresh, sugar snap or sugar daddy, you’re getting one of the most nutritious vegetables available in the store.