Looking for new specials to offer for the fall / winter season? What about doing a limited time offer special on risotto? Risotto is not only what I would consider an adult comfort food but can be a low cost menu item made wonderful with some white wine and seasonal vegetables.

If you have risotto bowls on hand this is an easy special to consider. Risotto bowls are one of those versatile restaurant dishes that can not only be used for risotto but also for stacked salads or interestingly plated main entrees.

To help get your inspiration juices flowing I’ve rounded up some restaurant-worthy recipes that can be easily featured in a risotto bowl of your choosing. Check them out below:

Risotto with Parmesan Peas by Chef Michael Smith

Parmesan cheese…farm fresh peas…..white wine…have I got your attention yet? Chef Michael Smith is known for his simple, healthy and fresh cooking style while being a passionate ambassador of the lovely Prince Edward Island and its resources. Risotto with Parmesan Peas is a fresh, delicious risotto worthy of a spotlight on the specials menu as a side or entrée.

Check out the full recipe here.

Sweet Vanilla Risotto with Poached Peaches and Chocolate by Chef Jamie Oliver

A twist on the classic risotto, and similar to a rice pudding, Chef Jamie Oliver once again innovates a risotto into a delectable dessert. Per his website, Jamie states that this recipe "...has to be one of the best rice puddings I've ever made! It's lovely served with the peaches, but you could also use apricots, strawberries or rhubarb."

Check out the full recipe here.

Cheddar Cheese Risotto by Chef Nigella Lawson

A grown up and (I’d like to think) sophisticated version of a classic and comforting macaroni and cheese, Chef Nigella Lawson has perfected this fall classic in risotto form. A perfect blend of sharp cheddar and starchy rice, this risotto is relatively easy to make (as far as risottos go!) and would pair perfectly with a delicious white wine.

Check out the full recipe here.

Stacked Caprese Salad by Chef Tyler Florence

Photo source: www.steamykitchen.com

A risotto bowl is still a bowl and as such is perfect for stacked salads or a seasoned salmon nestled on a bed of saffron rice. To switch up the recipes and if you don’t already have it on the menu, a stacked Caprese salad makes a great option plated on a risotto bowl. Chef Tyler Florence pairs succulent tomatoes with mild bocconcini cheese with the classic balsamic and olive oil for a simple yet scrumptious special.

Check out the full recipe here.

I hope these recipes spark your creativity in some of the options that exist for warm fall menu specials. And if you need a guinea pig, I also don't mind being the taste tester to your new inventions – just sayin'.

We frequently get asked if people can pick up their orders to save on shipping. The answer is yes, you absolutely can come to our Mississauga Showroom/Warehouse or Delta, BC Warehouse and pick-up your order! Here are a few things to keep in mind to ensure that everything goes smoothly on your visit to the National Event Supply Showroom and warehouses.

1) If you want to pick up your order in Vancouver, you need to give us 24 hours notice.

Our warehouse in Delta (a suburb of Vancouver, BC) is a third party facility owned by Locher Evers International. National Event Supply doesn't have any staff at the facility and Locher Evers needs 24 hours to pull the products so that you can pick it up. If you show up at the warehouse without placing your order with us first, you will not be able to pick up the items that you want. That being said, we try our best to make our customers happy so if there is ever a rush situation of less than 24 hours, still give us a call. We will try our very best to ensure your able to meet your deadlines.

2) You can come and look at our products at our Mississauga Showroom before you place your order...

But it can take as long as 45 minutes to an hour for our warehouse staff to pull your order depending on how busy we are. If you know what you want, it's better to give us a call and let us know ahead of time so the warehouse staff can pull your order and so that we can get a start on preparing your paperwork. If you get to the warehouse and decide to change your mind after seeing our products, let us know and we'd be happy to change your order.

3) Make sure that the vehicle you're bringing is large enough for the products you'd like to pick-up.

Occasionally we get customers who order products for pick-up without really realising how large the products really are. Wood Folding tables and plastic folding tables that are five foot (60 inches) round or larger don't lay flat in the backs of van or SUVs or in the box of a pick-up truck. A box of 8 plastic folding chairs is over 3 feet long, is a foot and a half wide and is almost a foot thick. A box of 12 Quadrato Square Dinner Plates is about 1 foot by 1 foot by 1 foot. If you need to make 2 or 3 trips in your vehicle to get all of the products that you have purchased, you may find it more economical to just have the order shipped to you. If you aren’t sure your vehicle will fit your order, ask one of our customer service representatives! They are trained to calculate the dimensions of your order for shipping purposes and would be happy to send you the overall dimensions so you can make the appropriate accommodations for your order.

So now that you know you can pick up your order and get wholesale prices, what are you waiting for? We hope to see you soon!

Appetizer Menu Trend #1: Sage

Sage is a fantastic herb best known for balancing meat dishes. It was the fastest growing flavour based on Technomic’s research. Consider using this herb in a starter red potato salad with caramelized onions.

Appetizer Menu Trend #2: Peanut

Peanut is frequently used in Asian cuisine in particular. You could consider jumping on the lettuce wrap bandwagon and pairing your delicacy with a peanut sauce as an appetizer. You could also feature a sweet potato fritter with peanut dipping sauce as a limited time offer to capitalize on this trend.

Appetizer Menu Trend #3: Maple

Maple flavour is not a surprising addition to the hottest trends. Maple Syrup in particular has become a hip trend with the entrance of boutique syrup retailers. Maple pairs well with spicy sauces or with salted items to make a juxtaposition of sweet/salty flavour. You could offer a twist on the traditional Caesar salad with maple salted bacon bits to liven up the plate. You might also consider featuring a Maple Corn & Butternut Squash soup starting September 1st.

Appetizer Menu Trend #4: Pistachio

Pistachio is most traditionally used for baklava and pistachio ice cream. They generally are known for their rich and nutty taste that works well alone or combined with other flavours. To take advantage of this menu trend, what about pairing salmon puffs with a pistachio basil butter? Alternatively you could offer pistachio-goat cheese bites as a starter option.

Appetizer Menu Trend #5: Lime

Lime is a citrus flavour most traditionally associated with Mexican foods and pie. If your restaurant theme supports it you could create an appetizer of cilantro lime chicken tacos with a slaw on top. Tacos are a big hit these days. You could go a totally different route and offer a salad with ginger-lime dressing.

Hopefully these 5 appetizer flavour trends will pique your interest and you can use the flavours to your advantage.

Back in September/October of 2013, The NPD Group released a report on the coffee market. Included in that report was a graph showcasing the amount of coffee consumed in Japan, Australia, UK, US, China, Germany, Italy, France, Spain and Canada. Out of all countries, Canada ranked second indicating the high amount of coffee Canadians drink.

"73% of Canadians drink coffee, consuming an average of 12.4 cups per week or nearly two cups per day." - The NPD Group’s What’s Brewing in the Coffee Market: A Consumer Perspective

Quick Service Restaurants in Canada have already jumped on this market opportunity, revamping their coffee menu offerings or offering coffee for the first time, offering loyalty card rewards and even partnering with major financial institutions to offer an innovative way to purchase their coffees while earning rewards. But while the Quick Service industry seems to be making a lot of press on its new and innovative coffee programs, it seems as if the Full Service restaurant industry is lagging behind.

Barbara Smyth of The NPD Group wrote an article on the What’s Brewing in the Coffee Market report for the Canadian Restaurant & Foodservice News Magazine and suggested that expanding a full service restaurant’s menu should bode well for business. In fact, Technomic, another foodservice analyst firm wrote a blog post about Coffee Café's stating these particular chains have experienced a 5.6% increase in sales. If you think about it, if Canada ranks second for the amount of coffee consumed, it’s a no brainer to include a coffee program as part of an expanded menu.

What are some options that fullservice restaurant operators can use to include a coffee program and leverage the market opportunity?

I found an article from 2011 (I know a little dated but the article holds true today) from the Coffee Buyer Report on how innovative flavour programs in coffee are an opportunity waiting to happen. The report goes on to mention that "an elevated perception of flavoured coffee as a 'specialty beverage experience' is driving sales increases in other flavours" besides the traditional Vanilla and Hazelnut flavour variations.

A Full Service Restaurant Operator could use this to their advantage – finding and developing a flavored coffee program to create an innovative beverage experience based on this country's most treasured beverage. Operators could also challenge their front-of-house and back-of-house staff with a friendly inter-restaurant competition to devise new coffee beverages to offer on the menu – for either credit on the menu (for the fame hungry) or a monetary fee such as a gift card or a day off. Alternatively, perhaps you offer a coffee tasting similar to a beer flight as a dessert or beverage option as a romanticized experience rather than just a beverage.

Whatever you choose to do, it makes sense to try to capitalize on the sheer size of coffee drinkers in this country. It could be good for your business too.

Most obviously the biggest problem that exists for rental companies & catering companies when stocking inventory of porcelain plates is the issue of transporting them safely to your customers. While storage systems do exist to contain plates in easy to transport boxes such as plastic milk crates how do you ensure you’re minimizing the amount of scratching that can happen when the firing ring of the plate is continually rubbing against the porcelain plate below it?

I found this tip from Lifehacker.com – an awesome website for tips and articles on just about everything. While originally this article was written for consumers who were moving, this tip applies to companies who have to move porcelain dishes as well!

How Rental Companies Can Protect Porcelain Plates with Coffee Filters

Step 1:

Buy Commercial Sized Coffee Filters from your neighbourhood drug store, big box store or grocery store.

EverythingKitchens.com

Step 2:

When placing porcelain plates into plastic milk crates or boxes for transport, alternate placing a porcelain plate then the coffee filter until you’ve reached the top of the box.

Photo credit: RealSimple.com

And there you have it! An inexpensive way to ensure your precious (and breakable) inventory scratch-free. If you’re worried about customers returning dishes without coffee filters, add it as a mandatory requirement in order to accept the return and charge a maintenance fee if this doesn’t happen.

Do you have any hacks or tips that you use to help your business? Let us know in the comments!