Here are the top ten trends that are transforming the dessert industry right now. We reviewed all the major sources out there including Epicurious.com, hospitality and restaurant consultants Andrew Freeman & Co. The National Restaurant Association, Technomic Inc. and the PreGel Professional Training Center to present the best of the best to look out for…. Read more »
What’s Blooming: Passion Fruit: Deceptive but Delicious
This subtropical treat is a hot fruit these days, inspiring all walks of the culinary world including everything from tropical cake fillings to sorbets and even savory dishes. Vibrant colors and assorted textures from all kinds of domestic and exotic fruit are popping up more and more every time you scour the produce section of… Read more »
The Upper Crust: America Falls in Love with Pies All Over Again
The perfect food of your dreams is back and better than ever. With nostalgia reigning supreme among culinary trends since the late 2000s, it was only a matter of time before pies came back into vogue. For one, they are exceptionally practical; for another, they are infinitely customizable and seasonal. As if you needed more… Read more »
Branching Out: Rice Pudding
Directions: Combine the milk, rice, and 5-Star Chef Pastry Select Vanilla Compound in a pot; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until rice is tender, stirring frequently, about 25 minutes. Mix in the sugar, 5-Star Chef Pastry Select Cinnamon Compound, PreGel Malaga Traditional Paste (Rum Soaked Raisins) and orange zest. Cook… Read more »
A Quick Guide to Inventory Management
Standard Inventory Management Terms First, it is important to understand frequently used inventory terminology and definitions: Cycle Count: A periodic count of all supplies and inventories. Reorder Point (ROP): The inventory level at which a new order should be placed. Economic Order Quantity (EOQ): The quantity to order once the reorder point is reached. Minimum… Read more »
Berry Healthy: Tools of the Trade: The Basics Needed for Gelato, Soft Serve and Pastry
Tools of the Trade – Gelato & Soft Serve 1. Plastic Buckets/Cambro® Look for buckets or containers that are a durable plastic that will not crack or break. Be sure the size is appropriate for your recipes—usually about 5 quarts for a standard gelato recipe (1 pan), and up to 12 quarts for larger soft… Read more »
Berry Healthy: Basics 101: As the Slogan Goes, “The Incredible, Edible Egg™”
While most often found scrambled, poached, boiled, deviled, coddled or fried, the egg is a staple part of our diets and is also a key component in pastries and frozen desserts. How humans identified eggs for their nutritious benefits and functions in the kitchen is somewhat of a mystery—likely a result of trial and error… Read more »
Feature Customer Q&A: Keeping it Fresh
The guiding principle for consistently dishing out addictively delicious gelato not only depends on the quality of ingredients used, but also how and when the gelato is made. Producing fresh gelato, batch by batch, on a daily basis is what continuously draws customers back, sometimes twice in one day, to enjoy the final result of… Read more »
The World of SOCIAL COUPONING – A Trip to the Bank or Bankruptcy?
There’s a good, a bad and an ugly to the world of social couponing. The best way to avoid seeing your marketing investment flounder is to understand the intricacies of the strategy and investment before handing over your business’s marketing budget. A solid knowledge base and commitment to the program can result in a hefty… Read more »
Back to Our Roots: Key Accounts – Steering PreGel AMERICA Toward New Waters
Seeking new markets and ventures, PreGel AMERICA’s Key Accounts division launched in 2008. The division was created based on the emerging and specific needs of the company’s high-level clients in key areas such as quick-service restaurants, cruise lines, high-yield bakeries, supermarkets and food manufacturers. Spearheaded by former East Coast Sales Manager Anna Pata, the department… Read more »
Reevaluate Your Business: Part 2: Commiting to Your Community
A FOUR-PART SERIES Part 2: Commiting to Your Community After taking an assessment of your business, its physical location and gaining an understanding of what steps can be taken to improve your business, let’s look at how community involvement can strengthen your ties to the people that comprise your customer base. Deciding How to Get… Read more »
Tree Talk: PreGel AMERICA’s Dynamic 5-Star Chef Pastry Select Line Expands
New Fillings And Stabilizer Added To High-End Pastry Line PreGel AMERICA, announced new category additions to its pastry focused product line 5-Star Chef Pastry Select line. The line now features stabilizers and fillings. The new products introduced include: Neutro (Ice Cream Stabilizer – 02026) – a high-yield stabilizer that comes in powdered form and is… Read more »
HR Corner: Is Bad Press Good? The Importance of Damage Control
If you get noticed for something that isn’t necessarily a positive thing … is that a good thing? The old saying “any press is good press” would argue yes, but with the revolution of social media, it can be hard to know if this still holds true in today’s digital age. The good news is… Read more »
Tree Talk: PreGel Video Channel Launches with 18 New Instructional Videos for Dessert-Making
How-to videos for gelato, pastry and soft serve are now accessible online from PreGel’s Professional Training Center PreGel AMERICA and the PreGel Professional Training Center are excited to unveil a new online video channel with 18 never before seen instructional how-to dessert videos. The PreGel Channel is a new section on www.pregelamerica.com and will host… Read more »
Tree Talk: PreGel AMERICA’s 2011–2012 Novelties Campaign “American-Inspired, Italian Made” Revealed
Seven new novelty products from PreGel AMERICA were front and center at this year’s National Restaurant Association (NRA) show after debuting a sneak preview via online video earlier this month. Revealing that the focus of the 2011–2012 Novelties as “American-Inspired, Italian Made,” the company insists that the products will evoke a certain childhood nostalgia in… Read more »
From the Top of the Tree
Spring and summer always bring a sense of renewal and starting over as blossoms bloom, new life emerges, and animals and humans alike come out of hibernation from winter’s harsh realities. I tend to look at business this way too as the fresh air breaths something new and exciting into my own approach for the… Read more »
Recipes: Raspberry Lemonade Tenero
Directions: Combine all ingredients and mix well with an immersion blender. Use as needed in soft serve machine
Recipes: Avocado Gelato
Directions: Combine all ingredients, except avocado. Blend with immersion blender. Pasteurize mixture at 85°C/185°F. Cool to 4°C/40°F. Add avocado and blend well. Pour in batch freezer and freeze.