July 2009 Archives

Okay, so ranges, fridges and dishwashers might not be sexy but have you ever thought where any foodservice operation would be without them?

Awards abound for chefs, restaurateurs and hoteliers but who applauds the clever boffins who make the kit that ensures operators can prepare, cook and serve food to their customers?

Well the Caterer and Hotelkeeper Equipment & Supplies Excellence Awards do and the 2010 awards have just been launched with the aim of recognising innovation and enterprise in the development of professional catering equipment and supplies which make such a vital contribution to successful food service operations.

There are 16 categories in total including ones for the best installation and best maintenance case studies. Last year's winners included the Convotherm Mini Mobile combi oven from Enodis UK and the Clifton Food Range water baths by Nickel-Electro. The Best Installation Case Study award went to Vision Commercial Kitchens for its project at Cameron House Hotel, Loch Lomond.

The closing date for entries is 30 October 2009 after which our panel of judges will assess each one for innovation and significant advances in design.

Good luck!

Beery breath has to be pretty high in the turn-off charts when it comes to romantic and social situations but fear not because help is at hand.

Travel sweet manufacturer Simpkins has developed After Beer Mints for men to "banish beery breath". They're one half of a 'his and hers' range, the other being Cute & Kissable to ensure "every kiss is like the first, fresh and minty".

The retro pocket tins of sugar free peppermint drops feature 1950's pop art and have a secret mirror hidden in the lid for touching up lippy or checking for lipstick on the collar.

Now you can encourage your customers to spare a thought for the next person they kiss.

There's no escaping technological advances these days and there comes a time when even the most longstanding traditions have to move with the times.

Even Product Junkie has had to give up quill and parchment in favour of a keyboard.

The Dorchester hotel on London's Park Lane has taken a similar leap forward recently. It has installed a web-based guest service operations system for its concierges to track tasks such as car and restaurant reservations.

The GoConcierge system has replaced the paper-based log book system which had been in place since the opening of the Dorchester in 1931 and was not without its disadvantages, such as up to eight people trying to access just one book at one time and difficulties reading another person's handwriting.

Product Junkie once saw a TV programme about the problem of chewing gum deposits on pavements. I know what you're thinking but there was nothing else on, okay?

Around that time the Department for Environment, Food and Rural
Affairs (Defra) put forward proposals to tackle this issue, one of which was that manufacturers should develop a biodegradable gum. And guess what? Someone has.

Chicza, manufactured by cooperatives in the Mayan rainforests of Mexico, is the world's first certified organic, 100% natural, biodegradable chewing gum. 

Once disposed of, its all-natural components will become dust within weeks unlike mass-produced chewing gums based on artificial, petrol-based polymers which, literally, stick around for eternity unless cleaned up by the Local Authority using specialist equipment at considerable cost.

If you thought that outside Scotland haggis only made an appearance at the dining table of homesick Celts on Burns Night you'd better think again.

According to Macsween of Edinburgh, a family company specialising in the production (or should that be rearing...) of haggis since 1953, London has emerged as England 's top haggis-eating city with some 20% of the company's haggis now sold in the capital.

A further revelation is that in total more haggis is now sold in England than in Scotland with just over 50% of Macsween buyers based outside Scotland and the company's English wholesalers showing strong sales increases of up to 30% year on year.

Jo Macsween explains: "UK sales have increased primarily as haggis is increasingly being used as a versatile ingredient, for everything from lasagne to pies. We're very happy to see that many Londoners have now adopted haggis as part of their diet."

Better get it on the menu pronto then. 

On the day of Michael Jackson's funeral some fans will play his music and videos, recite the lyrics of his songs, hold candlelight vigils and maybe even wear a white glove to pay tribute to the late pop star.

Others will eat jelly. No, Product Junkie does not jest, others really will eat jelly.

You see, on the occasion of Jackson's funeral, diners at Bistrotheque restaurant and bar in East London will be offered 'funeral jellies' of black cherry and Champagne and set with 24 carat gold.

The newly-launched funeral jelly service from Bompas & Parr evolved out of the success of its wedding jelly service, with the shapes of the moulds and colours of the jellies designed to be in keeping with the tone of the ceremony.

The company says that with traditional English jelly enjoying a renaissance across the UK, grieving families are increasingly serving it at funerals.