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A big part of your life is what you eat and drink. So why not make that both fun and profitable? If you think about most of your favorite memories or the things that you do that you enjoy the most, eating and drinking are almost always a part of it. That is why if possible, you should incorporate food and drink into the parts of your life that you enjoy anyway, and comma taking the DIY angle makes it even more fun.

So what exactly do we mean by this? First, for the experimental type, you can try a homebrewing kit. Second, if you need some ideas for how you can do DIY food and drinks at home, try subscribing to a meal-delivery kit service for a few months and see how it works out. Guaranteed you can determine a better way to do those kinds of meals on your own. And the last concept would be to check out tips for canning. You would be amazed at how much money you can save by canning, and if you successfully make extra, you can earn good money selling your excess.

Home Brewing

Even if you don’t like drinking alcohol, it can be a lot of fun to try a home brewing kit. There are lots of fascinating steps to the process, and you may end up with something that you enjoy. If you spend a lot of money on beer or alcohol, having a home brewing kit can make your habit that much less expensive. And if you get good at brewing, you can give your drinks out as gifts for celebrations. Just as an enjoyable family activity, homebrewing has some unique bonding perks as well.

Meal Delivery Kits

If you want some ideas about how DIY food and drink might work, subscribe to a meal-delivery kit service. These are fascinating examples of self-contained meals that go together, typically with seasonal ingredients. By seeing how companies have put these things together, it will give you an idea of how you can do it on your own. Once you start buying in bulk with the same methodology as meal delivery kits, you will see what the various benefits are in terms of cost savings and health.

Tips for Canning

One of the first activities to take on as a DIYer when it comes to food is canning. You have the option to can almost anything. That means you can buy things when they are cheap, prepare it to go in a can, and then store it indefinitely. It takes some effort and some experience to do it right, but ultimately, you will save hundreds if not thousands of dollars on food, and you can give other people cans of some of your favorite fruits, vegetables and sauces. DIY Canning is something that lots of families enjoy because it has so much potential for profit and practicality in the long run.

 

Anyone in the hospitality industry knows bartenders are often among the highest earning staff members. The pool of applicants is thus large for both bartenders and barbacks (as a step toward bartending). However, owners and managers have to see beyond eagerness and assess applicants for responsibility, ability to communicate, attention to detail, and awareness of the position’s demands.

Attention to the lesser known demands often make the difference between excellence and real problems on the bar floor. A prepared owner or manager knows how to clarify job expectations during the hiring process and how to train bar staff to cover all demands of their positions.

The Hiring Process

Not all establishments utilize barbacks, and, even when they do, the responsibilities of bartenders and barbacks often overlap. Making potential employees aware of expectations in a carefully written position announcement can be the first step toward weeding out the unprepared.

Basic information in a job announcement should include: physical challenges (e.g., lifting heavy items and the stamina required for long periods on your feet); the communication skills required to interact with customers, relay information to the kitchen, and keep information updated between stockroom and bar; and the attention to detail required for keeping stocks refreshed, bottles filled, and barware in supply.

During the interview process, it’s important to convey the specific expectations of the job and to ask questions that encourage the candidate to consider lesser-known and less glamorous challenges of the position. A simple question, for example, such as “how would you deal with an angry customer?” can cull those uncomfortable with confrontation. Additionally, a tour gives the candidate a chance to understand physical challenges (i.e. distances, stairs, volume of business, etc.) and also offers the opportunity to introduce staff members so that you can assess the candidate’s communication abilities.

Training

After you’ve found the strongest candidate, training becomes a vital next step in keeping a bar running smoothly. On an employee’s first day, provide them with a manual with rules, procedures, dress code, acceptable behavior, a code of ethics, drug and alcohol policies, food safety procedures, safety issues, and employee evaluation processes.

First day training may include bar preparation, how to communicate with customers, a review of the food and drink menus, introductions to staff members, bussing procedures for glassware and food service, and expectations for preparing garnishes. It is important at this early stage to emphasize inventory procedures: pour measures for drinks, how much garnish to use and amount of garnish an item should provide (how many slices from a lime, for example), when an item is in need of refilling, and how to record items used from stockroom. It will also help you protect inventory to train employees on point-of-service options and the additional charges to customers incurred by add-ons.

Both new and old employees require ongoing training for successful, safe, and profitable bar business. Training in occupational safety procedures, such as how to use knives, recognizing and preventing slip hazards, proper lifting of heavy items, dealing with breakage, and avoiding overuse injuries will help protect you from lost time for employees, lawsuits, and damage to property.

A good training program should also provide coverage of health and safety standards, such as handling glassware and food, proper storage of garnishes, hand washing, dish-cleaning procedures, storing cleaning items, and use of clean towels. Employees well-versed in safety and health issues prevent sick customers, on-the-job injuries, and health code violations.

The Pink Elephant in the Room: Drunk Customers

The last essential training for service employees, and the one they least want to consider, is dealing with intoxicated customers. While there are techniques you can encourage, it is crucial to require service employees to complete TIPS Certification (Training for Intervention Procedures). TIPS training covers state laws on alcohol service and ID requirements, offers valuable techniques for handling drunken customers, walks employees through scenarios, and provides records of your commitment to customer safety.

Some procedures you can reinforce as follow-ups to TIPS training are:

• Provide mentors for new employees to help them spot signs of intoxication.
• Make employees aware of “hot spot” events, such as holidays or local occasions.
• Teach employees how to politely decline service, avoid escalation, and when to call for help.
• Train employees on how calling for rides and the procedures for safely seeing off an intoxicated customer.
• Instruct employees in simple techniques to avoid confrontation, such as using a friend to help, speaking with customers out of hearing-range of others, and being firm but friendly.

A well-trained employee will make your business run smoothly, and a safety-aware employee can save you time, money, and potential litigation. As a restaurant owner or manager, be proactive in providing a thorough knowledge of your expectations and procedures that will prevent future concerns.

Few foods have the power to make people feel warm and comfortable on a cold winter night than stew. Thick, hearty, and very hot, stew is a much-loved comfort food and a filling meal without any accompaniments. Below are five stew recipes anyone can try the next time the weather outside looks frightful.

Classic Potato Leek Soup

Anyone who has ever tasted a baked potato will recognize the flavor of classic potato leek soup. Made primarily with garlic cloves, leeks, onions, white wine, bay leaves, and heavy cream, this popular stew takes approximately 70 minutes to make and feeds up to six people. Of course, it requires adding at least a dozen potatoes to the recipe as well. The potatoes should be very tender and allowed to sit for 20 minutes before introducing most of the other ingredients.

Beef in Flaming Chili Oil

This beef in flaming chili oil recipe is a much-loved Sichuan Chinese dish. Created by Chef Han of Z & Y Bistro, a chef known around the world for his authentic preparation of Northern Chinese cuisine, beef and flaming chili oil takes just 35 minutes total to prepare and cook. Dry chili powder, peppercorns, bean powder, and onions give it a strong kick. Other ingredients such as ginger slices, ribeye, soy sauce, water, and chicken bouillon help to balance that out somewhat. However, it’s not so much that the dish loses the intense heat and flavor people have come to love and expect.

Irish Stew

This stew is a meat and potato lovers dream. The main ingredients include lamb meat, onions, carrots, and potatoes. Irish stew also contains at least a dozen other ingredients ranging from chicken stock to dried thyme to black pepper and parsley leaves. Those making this stew should plan to spend about 30 minutes preparing it and about two and one-half hours to cook it. This should produce six servings for a cold and hungry crowd. Many of the ingredients of Irish stew are native to Ireland, hence the name.

Ham and Collard Soup

As one of the simplest items on this list, ham and collard soup takes just 35 minutes to prepare, cook, and serve up to eight people. The main ingredients include diced ham, grated Parmesan cheese, apple cider vinegar, navy beans, collards, chicken stock, and several garnishments. Preparing ham and collard soup starts by heating olive oil and butter over medium-high heat in a Dutch oven. The last step is to stir in the vinegar, taste the soup, and adjust the ingredients if needed.

Mini Meatball Soup

Just as Irish stew is a hit with meat and potato lovers, mini meatball soup should be a favorite among people who enjoy pasta with meatballs. It takes just 45 minutes to prepare, cook, and serve mini meatball soup for one to four people. The vegetables should cook separately from the breadcrumbs, garlic, grated cheese, nutmeg, pepper, meat, and salt for the best taste results. After bringing the ingredients together, the last step is to add broth and water to the pot and bring everything to a boil.

It’s a good thing that winter nights don’t have to be all about cold and misery with these five stew recipes on hand.

While Thailand has remained a tourist favorite, there are several hidden gems in Thailand that are waiting to be discovered. One such gem is the cuisine; if you are a foodie this is another excuse to visit Thailand. Thailand has a plethora of exquisite dishes for both vegetarians and non-vegetarians; the cuisine in Thailand heavily weighs on the diverse spices that are native to this Southeast Asian country and plays on the subtle flavors and aroma. To make this experience all the more delectable, you can find these dishes in every nook and corner of Thailand at a very reasonable price.

Wondering where to begin? Fret not, we have compiled a list of top seven street food dishes to try in Thailand

1.Khao Kha Moo

Love pork? Then this Thai dish is a must-try. It is a delicious mix of steamed rice and pork, the pork is cooked in an eclectic stew of spices and soy sauce with a hint of sugar.

The rice and pork are blended in with a few veggies like broccoli and kale with a side of boiled egg. The pork is juicy and succulent and is soaked in the stew. This comfort food will be etched in your taste buds forever. Rejoice this delicacy during your Thailand trip with the best Thailand Holiday Tour Packages from Flamingo Transworld.

2. Massaman Gai

One of the many Thai curries, this is a special mention because of the diverse influences that have contributed to its origin. This curry combines chicken/tofu, with a base of coconut milk with roasted peanuts, spices and a dash of tamarind sauce for the tangy zest. The curry has a subtle Persian influence and is easy on the palette.

3. Khao Krapow Gai Kai Dao

A street food favorite among Thais, this rice-based dish is served with a steaming hot dollop of stir-fried meat, cooked with the two of the main ingredients in every Thai cuisine: holy basil and garlic. This dish is completed with a side of fried egg and seasoned with chilli sauce or soy sauce.

4.Gai Tod

This specialty of fried chicken is unique to Thailand. The pieces of chicken are patiently marinated in a rich mix of rice flour and exotic spices, to give it a unique taste. The chicken is deep-fried and served with a side of spicy chili paste or sauce. This dish can be eaten as a whole or complemented with a generous serving of hot steamed rice as a perfect scrumptious meal to end the day.

5.Poh Pia Tod

This quick snack is more than just a simple snack and is meticulously made to seal the flavors that erupt on your taste buds with each bite. Poh Pia Tod is a type of spring rolls and is usually eaten as accompaniments with the main course, the healthier alternatives to this are the Pa pia sod. These deep-fried snacks are available with a plethora of fillings, with both vegetarian and non-vegetarian options. They are served with a side of chili sauce, you can opt for a sweet chili sauce too.

6. Kao Niew Ma Muang

A healthy dessert option, this dish is a Thai take on fruit salad with a twist. A very simple yet delicious dish, it consists of freshly cut mangoes, with a generous dribble of coconut cream syrup. To stay true to its Thai origin, this dish is served with a side of steamed sticky rice.

7. Guay Tiew Reua

A quick fix meal of noodles that are swiftly prepared and served by street vendors in Thailand, this dish is effortlessly mind-blowing. Famously known as boat noodles, these noodles were once sold exclusively in boats. The thin and light noodles are served in a vegetable broth with tender and juicy pork bits. Traditionally, the main ingredient is a liquid derived from pig’s blood, which gives it a distinct flavor. The vegetarian alternative is a well-seasoned vegetable broth. You can add an array of vegetables and seasonings into this dish.

The dish is finished with a side of chili vinegar sauce.

These are just some of the well-known street food cuisine in Thailand to warm you up; you will discover a diverse gastronomical wonder as you walk on the streets of Thailand. So foodies pack your chopsticks and plan your vacation to Thailand from these Thailand holiday tour packages.

 

Are you confused about proper wine storage?

There’s lots of advice out there, and it can be confusing to learn how to best store your wine.

But if you keep a few basic principles in mind, your favorite wines should stay tasty and in good condition until you’re ready to pour them.

Use these five tips to protect your wine.

1. Get the Temperature Right

Temperature is one of the most important factors in protecting your wine while you store it. You want your wine on the cool side but not too cold. An ideal range is 50 to 58 degrees Fahrenheit.

Temperature fluctuations can also negatively affect the wine. Avoid fluctuations of more than 10 to 15 degrees.

Your kitchen is one of the worst places to store wine because of potential fluctuations. Heat from your refrigerator, dishwasher, and stove can affect the quality of the wine.

A wine cooler is an ideal way to store your wine at the perfect temperature. A regular refrigerator is colder than the ideal range. Choose one of the best wine cooler brands gives you better results with consistent performance.

2. Consider Humidity

Humidity isn’t a huge deal with wine unless you plan to age it for a few years. Since most wine today is meant to drink immediately, this isn’t as much of an issue.

Humidity is important in keeping the cork moist. If it’s too dry, the cork also dries out.

A dry cork can expose the wine to air, which can cause your wine to oxidize. Some oxidation is used in the winemaking process, but wine that’s exposed to too much oxygen changes. You’ll likely experience a flat, bitter taste.

If you go through your wine quickly, you shouldn’t need to worry as much about this issue. But if you have a large collection or plan to store bottles for extended periods of time, pay attention to the humidity.

The safe range for wine is between 50 and 80% humidity. Lower ranges can dry out the cork. Higher humidity can lead to mold, which mainly affects the label if the bottle is sealed properly.

3. Cut the Lights

You don’t want your wine in the spotlight while you store it. UV light causes wine to age prematurely and degrade. Colored glass bottles help protect the wine from UV rays, but your best bet is to store your wine in a cool, dark place where you don’t have to worry about light damage.

4. Store Bottles Horizontally

Ever notice how wine racks position the bottles horizontally? There’s a reason for that design.

Wine bottles stored horizontally help keep the corks moist. The wine touches the cork to keep it from drying out.

If your wine has a screwcap or the cork is made of alternative materials, such as plastic or glass, this isn’t an issue. Although, you still may choose a horizontal storage position to save space.

5. Keep It Still

Lots of vibrations or movement can speed up the aging process in wine. Unless you’re aging your wine for an extended time or have it near some serious vibrations, this shouldn’t be much of an issue.

Choose a storage spot where it won’t get jostled or be affected by vibrations to be on the safe side. An out-of-the-way spot that’s not near any appliances that create vibrations is ideal.

Master Wine Storage

With proper wine storage in mind, you can enjoy your favorite vino in its full glory. Simple storage considerations prevent premature aging and protect the flavor of the wine.

Pour yourself a glass of your perfectly stored wine and browse our travel sections for more useful information.

Are you looking to find new delightful beer and food pairings?

Beer is one of the United States’ most popular consumables. It’s so popular among United States citizens that the country produces billions of barrels of various beer types. In 2018, the barrel output in the country climbed to over 25.9 million barrels.

The various beer types we have in the US have different levels of bitterness and malt. We even have several varieties of dark and light beer and everything between them. With so many beer types, it can be challenging to find the right foods for the right flavors.

If you want to learn what food pairing goes well best with different types of beer, keep reading below. We also included some tips on matching food and beer throughout the article.

1. Cheesy Dishes and Abbey Dark

You’ve heard of the classic wine and cheese combination. It’s a great example of how two different tastes complement each other. In this one, we’ll talk about how beer and cheesy foods make a great variation of that same idea.

When you’re having a pizza or a sandwich that’s rich with cheese, grab a Dubbel or Abbey Dark. This beer comes from Belgium and got made in its abbey brewing traditions. This beer is complex and rich with flavors of raisin, stonefruit, and treacle.

Some of the best foods to pair up with a Belgian abbey dark include cheesy pasta, for example.

2. Steaks and IPAs

IPA or Indian pale ales are a popular beer style in craft brewing. IPA has a medium amber color and a heavy and bitter flavor. Unlike lagers, they take less time to ferment and thus have a stronger taste.

During the British invasion of India, brewers had to make sure the ale wouldn’t go bad during the long delivery times. By ship, it took months to deliver goods from the mainland to the Indian colony. This often is a result of the extra hops in IPAs.

The barley and the hop’s bitter taste create a unique aftertaste, flavor, and aroma. It’s what makes IPAs still so popular despite the strong flavor. Most brewers add herbal or citrus undertones in the beer to make it more palatable.

Keep your tongue distracted from its heavy, bitter flavor with strong flavors. Try drinking it with big, robust beef or meat. Prepare your steaks with this steak knife set while you sip on IPA.

3. Dark Lager and European Dishes

Roasted meats, sausage, and burgers are hearty meals. They’re great foods to prepare during the neighborhood barbeque nights or on the Fourth of July. You can make those occasions more special by grabbing dark lagers to pair with your BBQ foods.

Dark lagers have a distinct taste. A dark lager beer comes from roasted malts, giving it a nutty flavor. Often, breweries add caramel syrup to sweeten it but not enough to make it too overpowering.

The best food pairings to have with dark lagers include those we mentioned above and more. They’re also great for hearty traditional European dishes. Think pizza, bangers and mash, and goulash.

You can also pair it with cheese platters, goat cheese salads, and sandwiches. If you’re going to eat something with strong cheeses, grab a dark lager. Its hint of sweetness will complement the strong taste of the cheese.

4. Game Meats and Porter

Developed in London, Porter is a dark style of beer made from brown malt. It has very close ties with the development of stout. Even now, there aren’t many distinctions between stouts and porters.

A major distinction between them is that the porter is a darker and stronger variety than stouts. Today, porters are milder than their past makes. It still has a signature dark color plus more variety in flavors and styles.

Darker and heartier beers like porter are great for balancing bigger meats. It’s great to pair with venison, rabbit, and other game meats. If you’re not the type to eat game meat, the typical robust meaty food will pair as well with porters and stouts.

At times, a recipe calls for beer. If you’re incorporating the beer into the meat, cook them with brews that match the flavor of the dish. Full-bodied brews like porters, stouts, and dark ales go well with robust meats.

5. Amber Ales as Palate Cleansers

When it comes to beer and food, amber ales often get paired with foods with overpowering flavors. The guide of beer and food pairings are the 3 Cs. These are to contrast, complement, and/or cleanse.

If you’re choosing a beer, it needs to act as a palate cleanser. This way, dishes with strong or overpowering flavors like spicy foods get washed down. The opposite is true with fatty foods and strong, bitter beers.

Amber ales have strong flavors of malt and hints of sweet caramel. Their flavors aren’t overpowering or sweet. In actuality, many amber ales have a dry and crisp finish.

Because of this, they’re great for cleansing the palate. They’re great pairings for pizza, jerk chicken, brisket, and BBQs.

6. Porter and Seafood

When you’re looking to pair seafood with beer, you want to look for complimenting flavors. It’s a beer and food pairing fundamental you need to learn to do. For example, pair light-tasting fish with light beers.

Avoid pairing together overpowering flavors. It’d be a waste of good food if the beer ends up concealing it. It’s also the same vice versa.

With that said, porters have a rich and deep flavor. It isn’t only a delightful pairing with venison and rabbit. It’s also a great pairing to have with seafood, which has a similar taste and texture to the beer.

If you haven’t tried having oysters with Guinness, you’re missing out on a classic pairing. Another great pairing is to try a creamy chowder with porter or stout. Better yet, try smoked seafood with Alaskan Smoked Porter.

7. Light or Pale Lager and Fried Foods

Light beer makes up a third of the top beer brands in the US. They’re a modern take on traditional canned beers. Thus, they often have a straightforward and refreshing taste.

They’re great for pairing with spicy foods and fried foods with a subtle sweetness. Some popular light lager food pairings include buffalo wings. They’re especially delicious with French fries and fried fish.

Pale lagers are some of the most versatile beers to pair with food. Whether it’s burgers or hot dogs, you can go ahead and drink light beer with them. You can even pair it up with spicy or regular noodles if you want.

There is an explanation of light lagers and why they pair well with spicy foods, especially light Mexican-style lagers. This type of beer doesn’t coat the tongue. However, it has a spiciness in its hops that cuts through the spiciness in the chilies and peppers.

Often, it’s a lot like milk in that it washes off the hotness of spicy foods. In turn, that lets the taste of the beer stand out.

8. Desserts and Stouts

When we’re talking about the best beer and food pairings, desserts don’t come right into mind. This is because dessert dishes aren’t often a great first choice as beer food. However, the range of beer flavors is always expanding.

That includes fruity beers to go with your puddings, ice creams, or sorbets. Stout is the best beer type for desserts because of its flavor. Stout has strong hints of chocolate and coffee flavor.

Its consistency is often silky smooth, yet its appearance is dark and black. Stouts have a low alcohol content and bitterness. It’s great for those who aren’t big on drinking alcohol but want something casual to pair desserts with.

The best desserts that go with stout include chocolate truffles and chocolate mousse. If you can order a coffee sundae, pair it up with a salted caramel stout. It’s a unique take on dessert and beer you won’t often find.

9. Wheat Beer and Food Varieties

Like light beer, wheat beer is a very versatile beer. As the name implies, they go down smoother and don’t feel as chest-heavy as traditional beer. Many brewers also add citrus and other fruity flavorings to the beer since wheat doesn’t add flavor.

Some of the best food with beer this versatile include chicken, seafood, and even pasta. If you’re trying Belgian Saison, it goes well with chicken or fish dishes. However, once you add sauces or creams, you’d want to switch to richer beers.

Because of its lightness, wheat beer is also a great complement to fruit tarts and pastries. The lightness of the beer helps wash down the sweetness of the pastries and fruit tarts. It follows the rule of contrast between the pairings.

Enjoy These Beer and Food Pairings

To get the best pairings, keep experimenting with food and beer. Remember, ideal pairings are often contrasting, complementing, or cleansing.

Now, you can enjoy great food, beer, and company.

That’s it for our guide on the best beer and food pairings you have to try. If you want to learn more about great food and drink, check out our other guides.