Super Deals are now available at US Foods Culinary Equipment and Supplies. Everyday products are specially priced so now's the time to take advantage of these savings! We are featuring some great products from our Next Day Gourmet private label line, including cook's knives and oven mitts. Our teakwood steak knife with 4-1/4" blade (sold in cases of 12) is also available this month in our current Super Deals selection.

Bar supplies featured this month in Super Deals include beer cooler restaurant glasses, ice totes, and trimline containers for garbage. Outfit both your bar and kitchen areas with these great everyday products now available at reduced prices. Hurry- these savings won't last long! Super Deals pricing ends June 2, 2012.

Ever wonder how Mother's Day got started in the United States? Well, it's origins date back to the late 1800's just after the Civil War ended in the U.S. Mothers in small communities who had lost their sons in the war began to gather and form women's peace groups. Ann Jarvis wanted a "Mother's Friendship Day" established to reunite familes divided in the Civil War. In 1868 she formed a committee with the expectation that this would become an annual memorial for mothers. Her daughter Anna continued her efforts after her death in 1905.

In Boston, there were Mother's Day anti-war observances for about 10 years beginning in 1872. This was the result of an anti-war rally in June 1872 in New York City spearheaded by Julia Ward Howe, who made a Mother's Day Proclamation. Mother's Day was observed in 1877 in Albion, Michigan as mothers were celebrated for their part in the temperance movement.  In the early 1880's the Methodist Espiscopal Church in Albion set aside the second Sunday in May each year to recognize mothers and their contributions.

Anna Jarvis worked to establish Mother's Day as a national holiday after her mother's death in 1905 and West Virginia was the first state to officially recognize the holiday in 1910. The U.S. Congress passed a law in May 1914 designating the official Mother's Day- the second Sunday in May each year. The law was signed into action the next day by President Woodrow Wilson, and America officially celebrated it's first Mother's Day. With the encouragement of Wilson, Americans flew flags in honor of mothers who had lost sons in wars.

Today, Mother's Day is celebrated across our great country to recognize our mothers and all that they do for us. We celebrate them with flowers, jewelry, greeting cards, and by taking them out for brunch, lunch, or dinner. This is why Mother's Day is arguably the busiest day of the year in restaurants. With that in mind, US Foods Culinary Equipment and Supplies offers you all the tools to make for a successful day for you and all of your patrons who are mothers!

We're offering a great selection of restaurant equipment and supplies during our Mother's Day Sale. Many of these foodservice supplies are in stock and ready to be shipped out to your establishment. Restaurant glasses, catering supplies, and commercial kitchen equipment are featured in our sale that runs through May 5. Hurry and save now before all those deserving Moms stroll into your restaurant on their special day (May 13 this year)!

At US Foods Culinary Equipment & Supplies, we recognize the importance of restaurants and foodservice operations having ample supplies on hand to facilitate their volume of business. Glassware is an important component of these supplies; they need to be aesthetic, functional and durable.With the Libbey Duratuff glassware line, you get all three.

Libbey Glassware is recognized worldwide as a leading manufacturer of commercial glassware. Their Duratuff glassware has super strength, and comes in a variety of patterns, including Gibraltar, Winchester, Everest, and Inverness. Many different styles of glasses are available in each pattern, and all of the Libbey glassware we offer is stocked in our four distribution centers, located nationwide.

In stock, Libbey glassware from US Foods CES is available to ship by the next business day, and generally arrives within 3 to 4 business days at your doorstep. Choose from thousands of choices featured in our online glassware section.

For more information on why you should choose Libbey Duratuff as your glassware choice, click here to watch video.

US Foods Culinary Equipment & Supplies is now featuring an exciting new line of glassware from Libbey. We are happy to announce that the Fizzazz line is now available. These glasses help market the sales of beer, champagne, and other carbonated drinks by accelerating the release of Carbon Dioxide, to create a bubbling "fizzy" display.

These laser etched glasses also promote head retention when serving beer. So your glass of suds will stay sudsy longer! Available in 9 different styles, these Fizzazz glasses are sure to be a hit at your bar or restaurant. In addition to the Fizzazz selection, be sure to visit our website and peruse the many other Libbey glasses that we stock. Reaady to ship out within one business day, we offer one of the largest inventories of in-stock Libbey glassware online.

Complement your glassware selection with china, flatware, and table linens. Offering over 12,000 restaurant equipment and supply products on our website, we have plenty for you to choose from for your establishment. More than half of these products are stocked in our four restaurant supply warehouses located nationwide for faster delivery.

US Foods Culinary Equipment & Supplies now offers Venezia II Espresso Machines. These machines can add revenue to your operation by offering quality after dinner coffee options in all styles of restaurant and catering establishments. Available in single or double machines, these easy to operate espresso machines are a solid investment for your business. Offering espresso and cappucino drinks will help your check average by increasing sales of desserts as well. Who can pass up a nice chocolate dessert complemented by a hot, frothy, and delicious cappucino, latte', or mocha? Certainly not yours truly!

Here are some features of the Venezia II single and double espresso machines:

• Microprocessor technology allows for ease of use
• Touch pads and LED display
• Automatic functionality for single or double espressos or manual continuous flow
• Dual pressure gauge allows readouts for both dispensing water and boiler steam pressure
• Sight glass for monitoring water tank level
• Auto-cleaning function
• Hot Water dispensing valve

We've got some great accessories available to complement these machines. The espresso filter and accessory kit  (product 1720739) includes two stage filter, dump box, steam pitcher, tamper, measuring spoon, and cleaning pods. The espresso bean grinder (9664194) has a 3 lb hopper capacity with timer, adjustable grind setting, removable drip tray, and universal tamper.

• Wash, store and safely transport stemware & tumblers.
• Open inside compartments ensure thorough cleaning.
• Closed external walls keep fingers and contaminants out.
• Smooth sides and rounded corners reduce risk of injury.
• Easy-to-grip, rounded handles on all four sides provide comfortable handling.
• Smooth top rim ensures quick, stable stacking.
• Add a Camdolly® and Cover for completely-enclosed, sanitary storage between use.
• Durable, long-lasting polypropylene will withstand chemicals and high temperatures up to 200°F (93,3°C).
• Full size racks are standard size 19 3/4" x 19 3/4" (50 x 50 cm).
• Half size racks are standard size 19 3/4" x 10" (50 x 25,4 cm).
• Inter-stacks with all other competitive racks.
• Fits through any commercial dishwasher.
• 10 base colors and 2 extender colors equals 20 color-coding options for full size racks.

• For plates, bowls, trays and plate covers.
• Choose the 9X9 row peg rack for standard plates.
• The 5X9 row peg rack holds standard plates in one directon and deep plates, bowls and plate covers in the other direction.
• The open end tray rack holds cafeteria trays or full-size sheet pans.
• Durable polypropylene will withstand chemicals and high temperatures up to 200°F (93,3°C).
• Smooth top rim ensures quick, stable stacking.
• Inter-stacks with all other racks.
• Fits through any commercial dishwasher

Recipe Week continues at Superior Products Restaurant Equipment and Supplies this week with a sweet offering. Cream Cheese Mints are on the menu and the recipe below turns out quite a tasty product! We have suggestions after the recipe for supplies that might help you create these treats. These products are available on our website and we offer fast delivery!

Cream Cheese Mints

Submitted by Lorri L.

2 oz cream cheese           
¼ tsp flavoring
¼ tsp food coloring            
1 2/3 cup sifted powdered sugar
Approx. 1 cup granulated sugar

Blend all ingredients together except granulated sugar, until pie-dough consistency. Roll into marble-sized balls. Dip in granulated sugar.

Press into a mint mold and release or flatten with the bottom of a glass. Let harden for a half hour, then flip over to harden another half hour before serving. They freeze well too.

Note on Flavoring: Use your choice in the combination of flavoring & food coloring; green goes with mint, yellow with banana, red with cherry, etc.

 Recommended Foodservice Equipment and Supplies:

• Measuring Spoon Set
• Sifter
• Heavy Duty Plastic Handle Spoon
  

It’s not always smooth sailing in the food and beverage business. Over the years, I’ve had some strange experiences while serving and tending bar, as well as when I have been a patron at an establishment. What are the worst and/or strangest things that have happened to me? Well, I have some stories to share with you; some of them bizarre, some of them funny, and some of them just downright ugly! Superior Connections encourages you to share your comments and feedback about my stories and any of your own dining experiences that you'd like to blog about!

What’s worse than running out of ice during a busy rush (which has happened to me more than once while working at various establishments)?

How about having your ice mysteriously laced with poison without knowing that was happening until after the fact? Bizarre but true! While bartending on a very busy Valentine’s Day evening many years ago, both my customers at the bar and the service staff began returning drinks, complaining that there was a strange taste in them. I remade the drinks, thinking it was just a taste preference thing. Knowing that I had added new, clean ice to the clean, empty bin before my shift, I had no reason to suspect foul play. What I eventually figured out was that on my overhead swinging glass rack, the night cleaner had placed a wick-style air freshener. It had tipped over as a result of my frantically pulling glassware to make drinks and was leaking into the ice bin below!

I had to dispose of all the ice, clean out the bin, and replace it with new ice. Of course, I had to continue to make drinks for customers throughout the busy night, using a makeshift ice bucket while trying to empty and clean out the contaminated bin. The manager comped all of the “tainted drinks” and we replaced them for those customers who wanted new ones. When the complaints started coming in, I made myself a soft drink and tested the ice, and lived to tell about it. Judging from the amount of air freshener left in the can, very little dripped down into the ice. So, hopefully everyone survived this ordeal, but for me, it was definitely a “Calgon, take me away” moment. Stress!

After that incident, I checked all bar supplies and equipment carefully before opening the bar. Making sure all of my restaurant glasses, blenders, and tools were properly cleaned, sanitized and out of the danger zone, I confidently sold drinks from that point on. The only extras that were added to the drinks I served were definitely of the non-poisonous, edible kind: olives, limes, cherries, oranges, celery, onions and filberts, to name a few.

Superior Products Restaurant Equipment and Supplies has just distributed its July and August Concession Equipment Sale flyer. There will be savings on hundreds of products, and not just concession items. Several new items have been added to our website and appear in the flyer for the first time. To view these products, check out Superior Additions.



Hot dog machines, popcorn poppers, and cup dispensers are among the concession products featured in our new flyer. Also displayed in the flyer are beverage equipment, smallwares supplies, and restaurant glasses. Our new line of Manitowoc Indigo ice machines are also featured in a two page spread.

For all of your commercial foodservice equipment and supplies needs, Superior Products is a name you can trust for over 75 years. Our in-stock items ship out from 4 distribution centers located nationwide, and generally arrive within 3 to 5 business days. In-stock orders of $250.00 or more (excluding furniture) qualify for standard shipping at no cost to you. Liftgate service and inside delivery are available for larger equipment at an additional cost.

Summer's moving along, so take advantage now of great pricing and availabilty on the supplies you need to help make your business prosper this year. We carry such great brand names as Libbey, Cambro, True, and Hobart. Our online product selection includes nearly 12,000 products. Shop and save today with us!

Superior Products Restaurant Equipment and Supplies offers a variety of dinnerware choices. You can choose from multiple shapes, styles, brands, colors, and patterns. The first two things that you need to decide when purchasing dinnerware are which shape and which style is right for your establishment.


Shapes

• Wide rim plates- highlight smaller portions but take up more space on tabletop
• Medium rim plates- versatile and offer smaller center for presentation
• Narrow rim plates- allow for maximum serving sizes and elicit image of value
• Coupe shaped plates- contemporary look and feel with no rims 

• Plain rim plates- allow more focus on the food
• Sculptured rim plates- provide design and visual interest and can be coordinated with flatware patterns and tabletop accessories

Welcome back to Superior Products Restaurant Equipment and Supplies three part series on the history of restaurants. Previously we explored the early history of foodservice establishments and the evolution of eateries into the American dining landscape today. While our country is still relatively young, new technologies, expanded culinary exposure, and creativity have all been key components in the shaping of our modern day cornucopia of foodservice dining options.

This article will focus on the types of eating establishments available to consumers today in the United States. We will attempt to cover the more prominent and popular types of eateries, although some are sure to be left out as there are so many to choose from. We’ll also throw in some menu fare and recommended foodservice equipment and supply items that might work well with this type of venue. So here we go…

Restaurant is a generic term referring to any establishment that serves food to customers. High end restaurants offer cuts of quality meats and seafood dishes, often adorned with sauces and seasonings that delight the palate. Many of the world’s top chefs are in charge of these kitchens where dishes are created with some of the finest and freshest ingredients to be found- all for a price! Fast food restaurants and coffee shops have menu items that will cost you less than one dollar.

Pizzerias specialize in pizza, pasta, and Italian dishes. Delicatessens tend to cater more to the soup, sandwich, and side order crowd, often serving quality specialized sliced meats, while cafeterias offer these items as well as a variety of hot entrees and sides. Superior offers restaurant kitchen equipment such as sandwich and pizza prep units to help the kitchen staff prepare their meals. Restaurant meat slicers  and pizza supplies are also available on our website.

Diners, grills, and drive-ins offer casual dining fare, usually available for dining in, or for taking out. In recent years, casual dining chains have sprung up offering a variety of ethnic favorites and American favorites such as hamburgers and sub sandwiches. These restaurants are generally higher priced than fast food restaurants but not as expensive as “dining in sit-down” restaurants. With our recent economic woes, many Americans are frequenting these establishments more often than higher priced restaurants when they are dining out.
 

Bistros, cantinas, and cafés have varietal menus, sometimes specializing in a specific type of food or food theme. They are less formal than more expensive restaurants, offering a more relaxed casual atmosphere where people gather to eat and drink, sometimes choosing lighter fare to eat. Many of these eateries offer specialty cocktails and with a large selection of restaurant glasses, we have you covered whether you need specialized or classic styles of glassware.

Concession stands, donut shops, chophouses, oyster bars…the list goes on and on. We have so many options to choose from today when it comes to eating that it is mind boggling. Whether you want to indulge in animal brains, insects, flowers, or refreshing treats such as garlic ice cream, just do a little research. You probably don’t have to go too far to find the meal of your choice. Of course, a burger, fries and milkshake are still on the menu somewhere too!

And if you own and operate one of the aforementioned restaurants, you will need quality restaurant equipment and foodservice supply to be successful. With over 11,500 products sitewide and many ready to ship out within one business day, Superior Products is the company you need for fast quality service and a wide selection of products.

Ever wonder how restaurants got started? Humans have to eat to sustain their lives, so the idea of serving up food in a centralized location came about many moons ago. Superior Products Restaurant Equipment and Supplies begins a three part series today on restaurants, their history and evolution. You can follow eating establishments from their very earliest days to today’s cornucopia of places to eat.

Today’s post will focus on the early history of restaurants worldwide, while our second installation will review early American dining places. The third and final post of our series will take a look at modern day restaurants, diners, cafeterias, bistros, and other eateries we have available as dining options today. Most of the information contained in this article came from Wikipedia.com and their attributed sources.

So, way back when…

Restaurants are believed to have originated in ancient day Pompeii, Rome. Many small restaurant/bars sprung up and served as a social outlet for the citizens. Many homes were without kitchens, and these thermopolia usually had L-shaped buffet type setups, offering hot and cold prepared food to those who might have trouble finding it otherwise. 158 such thermopolia have been found throughout ancient Pompeii, many of them located in busy public areas.

During China’s Song Dynasty (960-1279 AD), the hospitality and catering industry took off in Kaifeng, the northern capital of China in the 11^th century. The industry expanded from the taverns and teahouses that had been set up for individuals travelling through an area to new restaurants catering to the local community. Kaifeng had paper currency and had a population in excess of 1 million people. In addition to locals, visitors from other parts of China also visited these new “restaurants”.

Individual restaurants offered specialized menus to its patrons based on different types of cuisine, and socio-economic and religious considerations. Many of the families who ran restaurants in Kaifeng moved to Hangzhou, the capital city during the 12^th and 13^th centuries, after the Jurchen invasion.

Cafes began in Constantinople during the 16^th century when the first coffee house was born. They were popular gathering spots where the educated class would gather for hours sharing ideas, and indulging in drinks and snacks. The concept spread to Europe in the 17^th century, when the first modern-day café was opened in 1696, the Café Procope. This café in France offered wine, brandy, and liqueurs, as well as coffee.

During the 18^th century, the French government oversaw highly regulated establishments that served food for the purpose of restoring one’s strength or to help the sick and ailing recover. The French word restaurer means “to restore” and this is the origin of the word restaurant. The French Revolution was when restaurants as we think of them today were born. Laws were lifted on restricted foods that now allowed anyone who could afford the food to buy it. Many chefs capitalized and created menus with cooked-to-order food for the public to enjoy.

Can you imagine cornering the foodservice equipment and supplies market early on? Being a supplier of wholesale coffee cups and restaurant glasses could have quite the lucrative business back then. Today, you need look no further than Superior Products to find all of the equipment and supply needs for your foodservice establishment.

Stay with us this week as we continue our “History of Restaurants” series. Remember as you retrace the origins of restaurants, cafes, and catering establishments, that if you are in the foodservice business now, you need look no further than our website for quality kitchen cooking equipment, catering supplies, bar equipment and much, much more!