How to Clean a Keurig® Brewing System

Recently Public Kitchen Supply began selling Keurig® coffee products. The Keurig® Brewing Systems are designed to brew a single cup of coffee, tea, hot chocolate or other specialty beverages at a time. The brewer uses K-Cup® Packs, a plastic pod with a coffee filter inside. Ground coffee beans are packed inside the K-Cup® Pack and sealed tight to retain freshness. When a Keurig® Brewing System is used, it pierces the lid as well as the bottom of the K-Cup® Pack. The Keurig® Brewing Systems uses water pressure to push hot water though the K-Cup and into a cup waiting below giving you a fresh and hot cup of coffee, or whichever your choice of drink. Part of the appeal of using a Keurig® over a traditional coffee brewer is it's easy-to-zero clean up design. While there is very little clean-up, there are still some routine cleaning steps. So how should you clean a Keurig® Brewing System?
The Keurig® allows for quick, clean drink making. First, be sure to throw away the used K-Cup® after each brewing process as they are portioned exactly for the strength of one cup. Keurig® Brewing Systems are technically self-cleaning between each usage. You'll notice this through the sound that is made after each cup is brewed, but from time-to-time parts of the system need to be washed more thoroughly. On a daily basis you typically just need to clean the exterior of the machine. To do this, simply wipe clean with a damp, non-abrasive, soapy wash cloth. It’s important to clean the machine’s exterior because it prevents staining and allows the Keurig® to keep its attractive appearance.
One of the quickest ways to clean the interior of your Keurig® is flushing water through the machine. To do this, fill the water reservoir full of filtered water. This will help prevent calcium build up and keep drinks delicious. Never submerge your Keurig® in water or overfill it as this can seriously damage the machine. It’s important to remember that the Keurig® is electric. When exposed to water certain parts of the machine may become damaged, cause electrical shocks, or fires. If you want to clean the entire machine you can place the K-Cup® funnel, holder, drip plate and drip tray in the dishwasher. These parts are dishwasher safe on most Keurig® Brewing Systems. Never put the removable water reservoir or the water reservoir’s removable lid in the dishwasher. These two items must be hand washed when necessary.
Keurig® drinks should always taste fresh. If your drinks begin to have an after taste you likely need to replace the water filter. Water filters help clean the water reservoir and prevent calcification build-up throughout the machine. These can be purchased in packs of 6 or less to ensure you've always got plenty on hand. To install the water filter, soak and insert the Filter Cartridge in the bottom of the Water Handle Assembly. Next, set the replacement dial date two months ahead, this will remind you to change the filter. Lastly, clasp the handle and insert it into your empty, water reservoir. When attaching the reservoir push down firmly for a secure, accurate attachment. Now you will have fresh, clean-tasting water for the next two months.
K-Cup® Brewing Systems from Keurig® craft scrumptious, gourmet coffee, tea or specialty beverages. Keurig® has worked hard to create a product that will provide delicious hot drinks quickly and neatly. We strongly recommend this popular product to homes and businesses as it allows many individuals to brew exactly what they like. To view our entire collection of Keurig® Brewing Systems, K-Cup® Packs and Keurig® Branded accessories visit our website at www.PublicKitchenSupply.com.

How to Keep your Restaurant from Falling Victim to Trend

To be honest, being trendy can be a great thing until it's not anymore. One thing you don't want to be trendy in is your restaurants. When a restaurant is strictly a trend restaurant, it can very quickly go bad. Trends end up fading; they pop up, stick around for a short time, and then fade away as the next trend enters. Do you want your restaurant to fall victim to the trend lifecycle? Probably not.

So the question begins: can you find the happy medium between staying on-trend within your restaurant and maintaining credibility as a long-term restaurant? Being on-trend, rather than trendy is an important position to find itself. Again, how do you do this?

Start by not making your restaurant layout, design, or your branding trendy. Instead make those things withstand the test of time. Make those be relevant year after year. Choose classic color combinations rather than what is current. You won't want to pick two typically contrasting colors that are "in" right now. Instead you should consider the classics white and black, especially for things such as linens and waiter uniforms within your restaurant. Picking neutral or long-lasting color palettes will save you money in the long run. You won't be changing out your linens on every whim. Instead you'll be able to continue using the same linens until they're stained or simply unusable. Make sure to create a stable brand image on classics rather than trends. That's step number one.

Step number two: when should you hit the trend bandwagon? When it comes to food. Food trends are easy to incorporate into your restaurant without much disruption into your brand's vibe. Food trends, in general, are easily noticeable. Recent food trends include Kale, Cronuts, Quinoa, and Ramen Burgers. Yes, looking at the list shows that sometimes food trends are odd but that really is part of the appeal of the trend. With the more outlandish food trends, its good that they're simply a trend and nothing more. It gets people to jump on the bandwagon and try them once. For example, restaurant after restaurant started producing recipes that took advantage of the new superfood, Quinoa. People wanted to try it because they heard of its natural powers. So what's a restaurant to do besides simply adding this item somewhere in the menu?

Consider adding a seasonal menu. A seasonal menu right away tells people that these meals are just for a short time. These dishes not a classic entree nor will they be there for long. At the same time they're not promoting that it's a trendy item added to just stay on trend with other competing restaurants. It sounds better and looks better on the restaurant to make it a seasonal item. It makes the restaurant look like they're not trying to hard. Again, for example, you don't want to be that restaurant that promotes the latest trend every single time one pops up. Instead, you want to be the restaurant that people can try new things at, but will still be in the same building with the same classic menu year after year.

The key really is to find a good balance between following the trend and remaining true to your brand. Consider this, if you're a burger joint, chances are you won't be adding rare fruits or elegant side dishes with words that are hard to pronounce. Those things don't sound like what would be in a good old All-American burger joint. Trying this will make your clientele think you're trying too hard. That's a position you don't want to be in, doing this is sure to make you fall victim to the trend.

Achieve success by finding a happy medium between two opposites. As an owner or the manager, you must find a way to stay on-trend to be in competition with your like-restaurants and at the same time, have some significant staying-power in the marketplace. You don't want to lose your position because you leaned to far to one end or the other. Good luck finding that medium, it takes some trial and error but in the end its worth it and its a large key to success. As always, find all the solutions you need at our website, Public Kitchen Supply.

Choosing a Restaurant Theme

Your restaurant’s theme should be something you’re proud to claim. Before you open your doors consider how you want to present your new business. Your theme can incorporate the type of food you’re serving but you do not have to stick to these confines. Consider your restaurant’s adaptability. Will your theme allow for future changes or does it require decision and permanency? In today’s blog Public Kitchen Supply will explain how theme influences your clientele, menu and seating.
Theme plays a large influence over the type of customers you will attract. Before you decorate your restaurant think about the type of customers you want to cater too. Simple smallwares, like Chef Specialties 9.5” Walnut Finish Beer Bottle Pepper Mill, can play a large influence over your clientele. The Beer Bottle Pepper Mill is a great restaurant accessory for bars and grills. This pepper mill has a laid back, casual attitude. It would likely attract young adults as opposed to families with small children. If you want to bring in families provide helpful tools like the Update International’s Walnut High Chair; parents will appreciate this considerate gesture. It’s important to know what you’re communicating to customers. Avoiding a purchase, like a high chair, can result in a loss of family business because parents may feel unwelcome.
A restaurant’s menu is often incorporated into the theme. It’s very common to see Mexican or Italian style restaurants attempt to embody the culture of their cuisine. For example, a Mexican themed restaurant may use Carlisle’s 12” Tortilla Servers. This product fits the restaurants theme while keeping tortillas warm and fresh. If you’re menu is country specific it is easy to use that nation’s culture as your theme. While country or culture themed restaurants are common you have other options. For example, if your menu is authentic Mexican food consider a modern theme. A restaurant with a modern style but traditional Mexican menu offers a unique experience. It’s important for restaurants to have qualities that make them unique. A restaurant’s menu and theme is a great way to stand out.
Lastly, consider your restaurant’s seating. It’s easy to get lost in decoration and forget about your theme in application. This is especially true when it comes to seating. A successful restaurant understands customer traffic. Tables are cleared and prepared quickly, efficiently. When you choose your business’s theme carefully calculate tables, chairs, booths and waiting areas. Your theme should be built around you needs. Function before form.
Choosing your restaurant’s theme is exciting, it allows you to create an image for your business. Remember to think critically about your theme’s effect on your clientele, menu and seating. At Public Kitchen Supply we help our customers from the start. Check out some of the awesome products mentioned in this blog, at publickitchensupply.com

How to Style a Buffet Table

Whether you're a caterer, hosting a large party or simply serving a serve-yourself-style meal, you know how important styling is to a buffet table. Most of the time, you won't simply lay out all your food in any old fashion when you're serving others. You want there to be some structure, some order, and some style to the way you serve your food along a table.
When you're starting to plan, consider all that you're choosing to serve. First, the logical part of setting up a buffet table is in what order will people want to place things on their plate. Typically a buffet is laid out in the order that people eat. For example, your salad may be first, followed by the sides, followed by main options, finished with deserts. Some people may choose to separate their salad and appetizers on one table and their desserts on yet another table. It's truly a personal preference as to how many tables you set up, but keep the logic intact throughout the tables. You don't want to have cookies for desert next to the salad, it doesn't make sense. You also don't want to have your salad dressings or condiments at the beginning of the table which causes people to backtrack and disrupt the flow. Logic to a buffet table is the key to it running smoothly.
When you have a buffet table it often means there is a lot of people eating at one time. Having a poorly set up buffet table will cause it to take a while to get through the line, causing events to take longer and people at the end to become irritated with the time it took for them to get their plates.
Once you have your order of items, now you'll need to structure them. Think of all the different pieces of the table. Where you'll set the flatware is something to consider, though obviously the plates will be at the beginning. Placing flatware at the beginning might cause more people to pick it up as their picking the plate up, but they then have to worry about holding on to it while also holding the plate, while also serving themselves. The possibility of them dropping a fork or spoon rises, which will cause them to get out of line, go back to get another, and then go back to where they left off. Next, think about whether people will be more comfortable using a serving fork or a serving spoon or even serving tongs for the food, and especially make sure there's a utensil for every item. It's never good when you see a missing utensil and in turn, someone using their fingers to serve themselves.
If you have a full table, consider risers and other objects to create height differences. Risers not only add dimension and style to your table but also create more space on the surface of the table. The circumference of a bowl takes up more room than a square bottom of a riser, allowing you to put more dishes and in turn, more food options. If your table is the opposite, not full and instead has bare spots, consider using decor items to fill the space, fake flowers and beads are often used around the dishes to create style.
Also consider title cards for each of your food items, making sure to label what each of the dishes contain. Labeling will help people know exactly what they want, eliminating waste in the end and prevents possible allergic reactions. Which brings us to an important point,  make sure you label allergy information. If a dish contains one of the eight most popular allergies (peanuts, tree nuts, shellfish, dairy, egg, wheat, soy, and fish) then it should be labeled when served to a large group. When food is unattended, these labels are the best way to save people from illness. While there are an assortment of ways to display labels for your food, you could consider using number stands that will hold a card in place, especially for those items that are up on raisers.
It truly is important to know how to set up your buffet table when you're serving a large group of people. A poorly set up table can cause people to get cold food, disrupted lines, dropped food or flatware, and ultimately irritation. None of these look good on the organizers. If you know you'll be serving a buffet, start planning early. Think about everything you'll need, and everything that you MIGHT need. Always have backup flatware, serving utensils, title cards and more to ensure everything goes smoothly. Backups can save a lunch or dinner. For any item you may need for a successful event, check out our website www.PublicKitchenSupply.com.