Tuesday 14 June 2016

Staffordshire Catering - The Wedding Menu Guide


Choosing your wedding menu starts with the type of dinner that you are planning for your guests. Remember that experienced catering services will have set up plenty of wedding menus, so you will want to use their expertise in these situations. However, it will most often come down to your budget and the number of guests that are being served. 

Types of Wedding Menu Settings


Barbecue
For weddings that are outdoors and more informal, the bar-b-que setting may be the perfect choice. You do not have to go with a traditional American bar-b-que food selection, but rather light choices that are perfect for the afternoons. This is the type of menu that is best for budget weddings and for smaller groups of guests as large affairs tend to become messy. It’s also best in the catering service has a cook tent to minimising going from indoors to outdoors. 

Buffets
This is one of the most common types of dinners and perfect for late-morning, early-afternoon weddings. The menu will consist of dishes like fruit platters, muffins, and even omelets which makes things simple, however buffet-style servings are not well suited for lots of guests. Plus, it can be quite expensive if you have hungry guests. 

Cocktail Party
If you are on a budget and your wedding is in the evening, this is a great way to save money. The menu will consist of hors d’oeuvres and wine or other alcoholic drinks and is very well suited for weddings with hundreds of guests. A cocktail party works well in the evenings well after your guests have had their own dinner. 

Traditional Dinners
A traditional sit-down dinner is often very budget-friendly because the catering service will know exactly how much food to serve as opposed to buffet-type courses. Here, the wedding menu can focus on simple dinner preparations that are well suited for clubs, ballrooms, or even at the catering facility. Plus, a sit-down dinner is the perfect way to serve wine.



Menu Suggestions


Remember, unless you have a very large budget, your menu will be more successful by limiting it to a few favourite foods rather than trying to please everyone. Choose a dish that virtually everyone likes and offer only a few side items.

The same goes for drinks as you will be more successful with one or two types of drinks or wine rather than setting up a wedding bar. Naturally, you should have plain water available as well for the universal alternative to the drinks being provided. 

Hors d’oeuvres are the one area where you will want to diversify and offer plenty of choices if possible. Guests love bite-size meals that hors d’oeuvres represent so you can offer ample variety that appeals to many different tastes. 

When it comes to your wedding menu, be sure to work closely with the catering service so that you get the most out of the money that is spent. By sticking to a good, solid menu, you can please your guests and stay within your budget.


Sunday 5 June 2016

My Favourite Soup Recipe - Quick, Easy and Tasty!

Here is a top recipe for an amazingly easy and tasty soup.

Curried Sweet Potato Soup!

Here's what you need: 
  • 2 Spanish Onions
  • 1 head of Celery
  • A Knob of Butter
  • 5 Carrots
  • 6 Sweet Potatoes
  • Jalfrezi Paste
  • Ginger
  • 1 Lime
  • A Few Stock Cubes
  • Seasoning
  • One clove if Galic


Peel and chop your carrots and onions, they don't have to be tiny so a quick chop is fine. Chop your celery, then sweat all of this off in a large pan with your butter and some oil. This allows the flavours to really come out, sweat off for a long time on a low heat for maximum flavour. 

Whilst your soup base is sweating off nicely, peel and chop the sweet potato with a knife. 

When your base is nicely sweated off add your sweet potato and water. Add the juice and zest of your lime and a big dollop of jalfrezi paste. Peel and chop your ginger and lime and add that along with some seasoning.

Let all this cook off on a high heat, put a lid on or tinfoil the top of your pan so it will cook quicker. When the sweet potato is cooked take it off the heat. Remove some if the water if you think you have added too much, remember you can always add more back later but once blitzed you can't take it away. Blitz with a hand blender. Crumble some stock cubes into the soup and blitz that in too, it's a massive cheat but who's counting.

Taste and season accordingly, add more jalfrezi paste and ginger if needed.

Enjoy!







Saturday 4 June 2016

Instagram Marketing For Business - Tips to Get Ahead


Instagram is massive, Instagram is competitive, Instagram is fun. When used right it can be a very useful tool for business to get you out there, get you noticed and reach heaps of potential customers.

Here at Staffordshire Catering, we have been using Instagram for a few months but our account is gaining momentum and growing nicely. There are plenty of online tutorials and articles describing how to market your account but lots of them are filled with unrealistic and over complicated instructions I am going to share with you all the tips and tricks I have learned to effectively market your Instagram in a professional way.

Grow Organically
By this I mainly mean don't spam your followers with endless uploads all hours of the day, keep it down to two posts per day at max! Don't sell out and go after just follower numbers. You want valuable followers that mean something to your business or account. Having large amounts of bots and fake accounts will not help you out in the long run. Following people too fast will just get you automatically banned, especially if your account is new so just take it steady and be patient.

Hashtag Your Posts
This allows people to find you when they are searching on Instagram, if you're hoping to gain followers within a certain location then you can always hashtag that location on your pictures. Don't litter your pics with endless hashtag's though, try and stick between three and five per post. You can always post your hashtags within the comments of your picture which helps make you look more spontaneous and sincere.

Post Attention Grabbing Content
Get your account noticed by posting compelling images that draw people in. Videos are a great tool too, they are much more likely to get clicked on. If you are posting images with text on, write your text out on a piece of paper and take a picture of that instead, this is more likely to get noticed.

Pick Your Time
Choose the time of the day to post and to follow people. The shelf life of a post is around four hours before it is washed away by other content on most people's news feeds so post during busy periods and not during the middle of the night. This just means you have to find the time to post during the day.

Be Social
It's social media, so be social. Reply to the comments you get from people or else they'll go elsewhere. Engage your interactions and nurture them and they may become your social stars. Social stars are the people who regularly interact with you and are a valuable tool to help you engage more people. Like other peoples pictures as this dies the same. People want likes, it makes them look more popular so they are more likely to follow someone that they think will regularly like their pictures.

Share Your Instagram
If your account is new then use your other social media platforms to advertise your account. Have a permanent link on your website, Facebook page and your Twitter. You can even put a link on your business cards too! Once you have gained these followers then your account becomes a powerful marketing tool. If you have friends with well-established accounts and lots of followers then ask them to do a shout out for you, they could screenshot your profile and post it on their account.

Learn from Your Account
Experiment yourself and learn about which content works best for you, which time of the day people engage you the most and which hashtags are the most rewarding.



Our Instagram is Far from Perfect but for a new account it is growing quite nicely, the more you use it the more confident you'll be and the more you'll learn. Check out our account by clicking the Instagram logo below.




The Top 8 Principle Traditions Of the Wedding You Should Follow


Weddings can be a magical time. There are some people that have been planning their dream weddings for as long as they can remember. Weddings actually require a great deal of planning and compromise, which can be very stressful. Weddings are also events that are so rich in tradition, some of which vary depending on cultures and belief systems, though some ceremonies stick to the same format. Today we will take a look at some of these traditions and explain the very significance behind them. 

The Sand Ceremony
While this has recently been a popular choice for weddings, especially for those with blended families, it has been a tradition in certain cultures for quite some time. This ceremony, similar to that of a unity candle, is used to represent the blending of two people (or more, if children from the couple or their previous relationships are involved) into one life together. It is hard to separate the sand just as it would be hard to separate the bond of this new family.

The Wedding Cake
The cake is a centerpiece to the wedding, which is why it takes so much time and effort to pick the perfect one. This tradition has roots that go all the way back to the medieval times, where guests to weddings would bring small cakes for the bride and groom to enjoy. After the guests placed their gifted cakes down for the bride and groom, they newlywed couple would attempt to kiss over them to be granted prosperity in their future. Cakes that were stacked did not exist until 1882. Finding the right wedding caterer can ensure that your wedding cake will not disappoint.



Giving Away the Bride
This is a sweet tradition today, where the bride is escorted down the aisle and given away to the groom. Back then this was where the bride was given over as property from her father to her groom as part of a business transaction that typically involved a dowry. 

Confetti
Some couples opt for rice or bubbles while some choose other options that may include not having anything tossed at them. This tradition began during pagan weddings, where this act was a symbol of fertility. The Victorian Era moved to use paper instead of rice, though all of the above are used today.



Bridesmaids as Protectors
Today, bridesmaids are the ones who throw you parties and help you use the bathroom on the wedding day. However, the tradition of having bridesmaids actually began in the Roman times. Brides would have 10 women witnesses that were dressed up just like them. They would serve as decoys for the bride, protecting her from evil spirits that would want to harm her on her big day.

Wedding Favors
Wedding favors were originally handed out in the 16th century Europe as a way to show off their wealth and thank their guests. In the Victorian Era, the couple would hand out these gifts as a sign of good luck for their guests.

Veils
Veils were originally used to help the bride ward off the evil spirits on her wedding day during the Roman times. The Victorians made veils a sign of status, with the longest and most ornate veils being a sign of status.

Money in Your Shoe
A coin in your shoe was a tradition that you may not have been familiar with. This is supposed to symbolize future prosperity.



Sunday 29 May 2016

5 Odd-Ball Tips on Ways to Make Your Wedding Unique


The day you get married to the love of your life will be memorable for a life time, not only for you but for your friends, family and other loved ones as well. This is why it is important to make it uniquely beautiful and entertaining for your guests and for yourselves. One of the most important things about throwing a good wedding is to personalise it as much as possible. Your guests are there to share a unique love story of two individuals and make sure you give them just that. You should also understand that they spend their precious time to attend your special day out of their sheer love for you. Therefore, it is your duty to ensure they do have a good time!

Cocktail stationLet’s face it! No one would say no to a nice cocktail, especially when they are in a celebratory mood. Without going for traditional bottle alcohols, add some glamour and colour to the occasion by having a good cocktail station with a skilled bartender who knows their cocktails. You are sure to get a cheery crowd in your day rather than a bunch of people bored and brooding.



Heals-free dancing floorHeals do look good on a lady, and the ladies who attend your wedding will not come in flats for sure. However, heals can extremely restrict their chances of having some good fun in your special day. Add a box of pretty slippers next to your dance floor to those who want to have some real fun on the dance floor! Don’t let heals keep them away from breaking some moves and having fun!

Gifts to goGiving your guests a small token to remember your special day has not become common among many. Add a twist to it by making the gifts personalised. This would be easier if you are having a small reception, but they will always remember if you manage to put some effort to personalise their gift rather than giving the same thing to everyone. Staffordshire Catering is also happy to provide a gift bag for all of your wedding guests!

Catering with a TwistEveryone is used to regular wedding catering styles. Try to add some twist to it by perhaps having a theme pre-discussed with your caterer. You can have themed appetisers; themed food stations and even gets a few nice tags naming regular food with a theme to bring some laughs.

A play area for kidsKids are adorable, but in an occasion like a wedding where they have to stay still for a long period of time can make them fussy. Have a small play area where kids can get together and do some colouring, board games, and other fun things while their parents have a good time in the reception. They will thank you for sure!


Thursday 26 May 2016

How To Host A Perfect Children Party


Parties are a great occasion to let children know how to be grateful for what they have: health, family and friends. There is nothing more exciting for children than an awesome party. But it’s very hard for the parents to host and manage such a notorious gathering; with balloons blowing up, children intending to wreck the house and a chaos all around.

Keep on reading to find out how to host a perfect children party if you are planning to host one.

Pick up an Interesting Theme
Party theme is what outlines the whole function. If you are planning to have professional entertainers at the party and they’ll be doing astonishing magic tricks, then a Magician or a Wizard theme would be nice. Give your food and games a magical look. Alternatively, the children can dress up as their favourite protagonist or superhero.

Set up Creative Decorations
It does not take much to turn your home into a party space by exciting and creative decorations all around. Home-made decorations for the party are inexpensive and offer a cozy and comfortable environment to the guests. A home-made banner, stylish garland, colourful balloons, and a red carpet at the entrance can be an icing on the cake.


Go for Healthy Food
Party food for children can be colourful, exciting and healthy. However, if you want to serve a small meal, keep the food simple. Go for balanced healthy and sugary snacks. Pizza, cookies, chips or sandwiches may be the best option. Moreover, you can also use cookie cutter to make different shaped pizza and sandwich slices. Don’t forget to keep fluid levels high with regular drinks, especially on hot days. Also, inquire about any food allergy to the kids beforehand.

Arrange Interesting Games
Of course, games are regarded as the essence of a children party. Arranging various interesting games in a children party depends on the playing field available and the ages of the kids. Six year olds are fond of daring games such as Treasure Hunt or Pinata. The four year olds may find games like Musical Chairs interesting as they experience them for the first time. Some children will love to play Water games or Relay race.

Entertainment
Children’s party can be a hit with clowns, princesses, superheroes and other characters. If you need to keep the kids busy at the party, hire professional party entertainers to bring the children’s favourite storybook character to life. You can also include comedy, interactive story-telling, magic tricks or puppet shows to entertain the kids.




Monday 23 May 2016

A Brіеf Hіѕtоrу оf Thе Lіfе of Sаmuеl Johnson


Sаmuеl Johnson wаѕ bоrn аt Lichfield, in Staffordshire оn the 18th September, 1709. Hіѕ father, Mісhаеl Jоhnѕоn, wаѕ a nоt very ѕuссеѕѕful bookseller, (аlthоugh his ѕhор (nоwаdауѕ the bіrthрlасе muѕеum, wаѕ, аnd іѕ, a vеrу ѕubѕtаntіаl building). His fаthеr also саrrіеd оn his trade аt lосаl mаrkеtѕ, and was a рublіѕhеr also іn a small wау. Hе suffered frоm thе соndіtіоn knоwn аt thе tіmе аѕ 'mеlаnсhоlу', nowadays, dерrеѕѕіоn. Hіѕ mоthеr wаѕ a woman of ѕоund ѕеnѕе, аnd well aware оf her son's еxtrаоrdіnаrу abilities.  You can still visit The Birthplace of Dr Johnson in the centre of Lichfield.

Samuel wаѕ reputed аѕ a сhіld tо have a рhеnоmеnаl memory; іt is recorded thаt оnlу a little аftеr he hаd learned tо read, hіѕ mоthеr set hіm tо memorize thе collect fоr the dау from the bооk оf соmmоn рrауеr, аnd, wеnt uрѕtаіrѕ, leaving hіm to hіѕ studies. On reaching the 2nd flооr, ѕhе hеаr.d hіm fоllоwіng hеr, аnd, on questioning hіm, dіѕсоvеrеd thаt he had mеmоrіzеd іt. Hе rесеіvеd whаt would now be саllеd his рrіmаrу and ѕесоndаrу еduсаtіоn mаіnlу аt Lісhfіеld, lаtеr at the school аt Stourbridge fоr аbоut a year. Thіѕ was fоllоwеd bу a уеаr or two оf ѕеlf-dіrесtеd ѕtudу, оr lоіtеrіng, depending uроn whісh аuthоrіtу іѕ tо bе bеlіеvеd. 


Jоhnѕоn started hіѕ fіrѕt year аt Pеmbrоkе соllеgе, Oxfоrd, арраrеntlу оn аn unreliable аѕѕurаnсе of ѕuрроrt from a friend оr member оf his fаmіlу, аt thе age оf 19, but lеft іn 1731 without a dеgrее, оn the grounds оf financial nесеѕѕіtу. Hе hаd been hарру at Pеmbrоkе,аnd, rеfеrrіng to thе numbеr оf роеtѕ рrоduсеd by thе college, remarked, "Sіr, wе аrе a nеѕt оf ѕіngіng birds.' For a few mоnthѕ hе wаѕ an usher ( a sort оf assistant tеасhеr) аt a ѕсhооl in Mаrkеt Bosworth. He was not hарру thеrе аnd lеft аftеr a fеw mоnthѕ. 

Hе was thеn fоrtunаtе to be invited to ѕtау wіth hіѕ frіеnd, Mr. Hесtоr, аt his lodgings іn Birmingham, where he met Mr. Hесtоr'ѕ lаndlоrd, Mr. Wаrrеn. Mr Wаrrеn wаѕ a fіrmlу established bookseller іn Birmingham, and Jоhnѕоn'ѕ еxtеnѕіvе knоwlеdgе of lіtеrаturе wаѕ оf grеаt use tо hіm. Jоhnѕоn also рrоduсеd a ѕmаll numbеr оf еѕѕауѕ published in a jоurnаl оwnеd bу Mr Warren. Whіlѕt іn Bіrmіnghаm, Jоhnѕоn bесаmе acquainted wіth a Mr Harry Pоrtеr, whо ѕhоrtlу afterwards dіеd. 


Aѕtоnіѕhіnglу, Jоhnѕоn mаrrіеd Mr Pоrtеr'ѕ wіdоw, Elіzаbеth (Tеttіе), a wоmаn оf twісе his age, аnd rерutеdlу odd mаnnеrѕ, роѕѕіblу brоught аbоut bу аlсоhоlіѕm оr laudanum аddісtіоn. 

In pursuit оf аn іnсоmе Dr. Johnson nоw founded an academy at Edial, but gаіnеd only 3 рuріlѕ, one of whоm was Dаvіd Garrick, later tо асhіеvе fаmе оn the ѕtаgе. Unѕurрrіѕіnglу the ѕсhооl failed, аnd Dосtоr Johnson wеnt to London іn search оf еmрlоуmеnt. Gаrrісk wеnt wіth hіm іntеndіng tо ѕtudу lаw, but wаѕ ѕооn dіvеrtеd tо a career оn the stage, аnd bесаmе thе grеаtеѕt асtоr (bу gеnеrаl аѕѕеnt) оf hіѕ аgе. Fоr ѕоmе уеаrѕ, Johnson ѕuрроrtеd himself аѕ a journeyman hack, іnсludіng some ԛuіtе rерutаblе wоrkѕ on Mr Edwаrd Cаvе'ѕ "The Gеntlеmаn'ѕ Magazine'. 

In 1747 hе рublіѕhеd his plan tо рrоduсе a "Dісtіоnаrу оf the Englіѕh Language", an undertaking backed, аmоngѕt оthеrѕ, bу thе Lоngmаn brоthеrѕ. His wіfе dіеd in 1752, but thе wоrk рrоgrеѕѕеd. Thе wоrk was еvеntuаllу published іn 1755, doing mоrе tо ѕtаndаrdіzе Englіѕh ѕреllіng аnd grаmmаr (іn Britain, аt lеаѕt). Irоnісаllу, hаvіng ѕеt оut to rеgulаtе and prescribe, Jоhnѕоn hаd thе іntеllесt аnd humіlіtу tо realize thаt thе Englіѕh lаnguаgе рrеdаtеd hіѕ dісtіоnаrу, and that he wаѕ еngаgеd іn a tаѕk оf dеѕсrірtіоn, not prescription, аnd for this reason іѕ possibly thе fіrѕt scientific lіnguіѕt. He ѕuссеѕѕfullу defended thе Englіѕh lаnguаgе аgаіnѕt thе dаngеrѕ оf a prescriptive Englіѕh Aсаdеmу on thе French model, аѕ propounded by Swift уеаrѕ еаrlіеr. 

Hіѕ wоrk еаrnеd him a pension оf 300 роundѕ a year from the King, аnd Boswell's "Life оf Jоhnѕоn" made hіm a сеlеbrіtу (ѕоrrу tо uѕе thаt wоrd). This meant thаt hе wаѕ nоw frее frоm danger оf poverty, аnd free to іndulgе іn lіtеrаrу аnd dramatic undertakings, аѕ wеll аѕ ѕосіаl and gеоgrарhісаl аdvеnturеѕ. 

It ѕhоuld bе mentioned thаt hе hаd an unusual rеlаtіоnѕhір with the Thrаlе fаmіlу, wеаlthу brewers. Henry Thrale, thе husband аnd fаthеr, wаѕ muсh соnсеrnеd with buѕіnеѕѕ, аnd seemed unсоnсеrnеd by Jоhnѕоn'ѕ intimate (іn one sense оr аnоthеr) rеlаtіоnѕhір wіth hіѕ wіfе Hester (Hеttіе). Hеѕtеr Thrаlе іѕ one оf thе more еnіgmаtіс characters іn Jоhnѕоn'ѕ life. Hе was certainly in love wіth her, аlthоugh he wаѕ nоt аfrаіd tо rebuke hеr for еxсеѕѕіvе uѕе оf соrроrаl punishment оn her daughter Quееnеу and hеr other сhіldrеn, аnd, аt the еnd оf their relationship, fоr hеr соntrоvеrѕіаl second marriage and аbаndоnmеnt оf hеr сhіldrеn. Shе dеѕеrvеѕ an article to hеrѕеlf. Dосtоr Jоhnѕоn now fоund hіmѕеlf роѕѕіblу thе mоѕt fаmоuѕ mаn іn England, thе Rоуаl family aside, and thе сеntrаl fіgurе оf thе сulturаl lіfе of thе latter part оf the 18th century. Hе was rесоgnіzаblу an Englishman, thе Jоhn Bull оf thе intellect, аnd, I would argue, соntrіbutеd еnоrmоuѕlу to the Englіѕh ѕеlf-іmаgе. 

Hіѕ occupation іn fасt іn thе lаttеr раrt оf thе сеnturу was mоrе as a сеntrаl figure, аrоund whom other fіgurеѕ іn the аrtѕ gathered, thаn as a producer of іmроrtаnt work hіmѕеlf. Rеуnоld'ѕ роrtrаіt оf thе 'Club' ѕhоwѕ us thаt hе undеrѕtооd Jоhnѕоn'ѕ importance, ѕеаtеd centrally аnd dіrесtіng a challenging lооk іn thе dіrесtіоn оf thе viewer. Hе hаѕ recognized a challenge оr іntrudеr and іѕ еԛuаl to thе tаѕk of dеаlіng wіth іt. Whаt is thе сhаllеngе оr intruder ? Basically, I wоuld suggest, оrgаnіzіng, meddling whiggism. It should bе rеmеmbеrеd that Jоhnѕоn wаѕ a rаdісаl Tоrу (Tоrу hаvіng аlmоѕt nоthіng tо dо wіth thе mоdеrn meaning of Cоnѕеrvаtіvе), аnd аѕ ѕuсh much mоrе sympathetic tо the рооrеr сlаѕѕеѕ than wеrе thе whіgѕ, whо rеgаrdеd thеm merely аѕ іnduѕtrіаl rеѕоurсеѕ. A change wаѕ tаkіng place; romanticism аttасkеd сlаѕѕісіѕm; соnѕtіtutіоnаlіѕm аttасkеd thе ѕmооthlу functioning роlіtісаl traditionalism; thе greedy industrialist sought tо rерlасе the саrіng ѕԛuіrе аѕ еmрlоуеr (ѕоmе ѕеntіmеntаlіtу here, аdmіttеdlу). Thе point іѕ nоt whеthеr these vіеwѕ аrе rіght оr wrоng, but whеthеr they are thе views Jоhnѕоn held, аnd whether Rеуnоldѕ perceived thеm correctly. The rеmаіndеr оf Dr. Johnson's lіfе was lаrgеlу engaged іn dispersing influence thrоugh society and соnvеrѕаtіоn, асԛuаіntеd аѕ hе wаѕ wіth аlmоѕt every influential fіgurе оf his day. Hе lived a good lіfе, frеԛuеntlу ѕhеltеrіng a hоuѕеhоld of unfоrtunаtеѕ аnd inadequates. Hе dіеd оn 13th Dесеmbеr 1794. His lаѕt wоrdѕ were "Gоd bless you, my dear', tо Mіѕѕ Valentine Morris, daughter оf a frіеnd.

 Staffordshire Catering Homepage

Wednesday 18 May 2016

The 7 Signs of a Good Caterer


One of the most lucrative businesses out there is that of catering. It is a business that, once it’s off the ground, can help you fully realize your culinary vision as well as your knack for business. But this is not an easy job, even if it is the ideal one for you. Being a caterer requires a lot of hard work, skill and determination since outshining the competition is important. You may have the cooking skills but catering is about a lot more than being able to make the perfect foie gras. 

These are the 7 signs of a good caterer.


Cooking and food safety
At the most basic level, catering is about food. It is what the business revolves around. No matter how beautiful the venue, if your food isn’t good you won’t retain any of your clients. With good taste comes beautiful presentation of it and cleanliness. If your food is making people sick, you could even get into trouble for it. Keep yourself and your staff up to date with the latest food safety laws set by the Food and Drug Administration. 

Customer service
Keeping your customers happy is what really matters so work on your people skills. You might need to convince your client to change a dish. If you are courteous and tactful, they will be more receptive to your ideas and this will make your work a lot easier. Your client repertoire is what will prompt the client to recommend your business to other people. 

Team of professionals
This doesn’t necessarily mean professional cooks. A professional behavior is just as important as the cooking skills of your employee. It is important for the team to work together like a well-oiled machine. This is where your leadership skills come in.

Leadership
As a leader, keeping your team together is extremely important. You will have a team of cooks, servers, cleaners and more. It is your job, as a leader, to ensure they know their schedules and the rules. Have a firm hand but do not belittle them in anyway. A good leader is also able to plan financially so the business can weather slow times. 

Marketing 
You may have the dream team and the food may be delicious, but if people don’t know you, your business won’t work. Get a good network of contacts that will work with you and get you more clients such as event planners and florists.

Flexibility & Creativity 
You will need to make changes according to client preferences and a good caterer can adapt to these changes with ease. Keep up the creativity with the required changes so your quality of work is maintained. 

Keep the Backup Ready 
Despite your best efforts, something always goes wrong. A good caterer will know how to deal with these last minute problems without panicking. Have backup food and some backup team members so you don’t mess up. 

Bottom line 
It takes time and effort to build your reputation as a caterer so don’t give up if things get hard and focus on these seven tips.

Importance Of Family Gatherings And Parties


A family get-together is an event when numerous members of an expanded family gather. In some cases, family gatherings are held frequently, for instance on the same date of the year. At other occasions, some families get together for every holiday and special occasion (Christmas etc.), some once a year, and some families once every 10 years.

A classic family get-together comprises of parents, grandparents, great-grandparents gathered for a supper, some entertainment and talk. The eldest members are normally grandparents, guardians, relatives, kin or first cousins while the juvenile ones are second, third or fourth cousins.
Family gatherings and parties are mostly intended to let the members of the family stay in contact and have a sense of belongings. They increase family interaction and promotes an emotional bonding within the family. Whatever the cause, a family get-together is unique in that extended family members are present at the occasion. You can find out much about your family at a re-union, and maybe heal emotions that had been hurt earlier. No doubt, a family get-together is a momentous occasion.

Getting Acquainted With Each Other
A family begins as a small family, progressively it develops to an expanded family. A family gathering helps relatives to know each other. The kids get acquainted with their grandparents and elders who are still alive. Youngsters get to know their cousins, uncles and aunts. Similarly, the grandparents have a chance to see and adore their kids and grandchildren. The uncles and aunties likewise communicate with their nephews and nieces.

Strengthening Family Bonds
It sounds cheerful when all relatives sit together and have a common meal. Gathering or party reinforces family communications and builds unity among the family members. By sharing a supper, taking a group family photograph, and several different events (outdoor barbecue, costume party, variety show, camping etc.), the family bond is fortified. Each relative after the party will have made wonderful memories to be adored for eternity.

Taking Care Of Issues
Every family faces problems and these issues raise a risk to the solidarity of the family. During family social gatherings, relatives talk about the difficulties and problems which they face every now and then. Every individual from the family is allowed to speak what he or she feels like. By discussion, they come up with ideas to solve the problems. Sincere advice is given by each and every one. These advices help all the relatives to learn from their mistakes and tackle the problems.

Share and Protect Family Heritage
Another motivation behind a family gathering is that it gives a chance to the youthful relatives to find out about their family tradition and past background. The older folks enlighten the gathering with stories about the origin of the family tree. In some cases, the elder members may tell personal stories about war, struggle and migration. These stories are not only interesting for the youngsters, but also helps to protect the family heritage.


Sunday 15 May 2016

Importance Of Good Food


Food is the source of vitality for most of our bodily activities and directly influences the function of our body and mind in every stage of life. Good food is a critical part of living a healthy lifestyle. A nourishing balanced diet, together with bodily activities and abstaining from smoking, is the basis of good wellbeing.

A healthy dietary regimen is essential for a well-working body, mind and soul. Healthy diet comprises of having high-grade proteins, starches, healthy fats, vitamins, minerals and water in the food you take while decreased use of junk foods, canned nourishments, saturated fats and alcohol. Nutrients also help in the regulation of metabolic processes in the body, such as digestion and energy production.

There are many reasons why good food is important, including disease prevention, weight control and reduced risk of chronic diseases.

Source Of Energy

Foods containing an equivalent measure of calories and nutrients are perfect for a balanced diet. The energy supplied by food calories is required for all the functions of the body, including thought, physical activity, development and repair. The nutrients in the diet maintain the everyday activities, shield your cells from external harm and repair any cell injury that may happen. 

Proteins, starches and fats are the building blocks of energy. Protein repairs harmed tissue and encourage a sound defense framework. Both sugars and fats feed your body, whereas vitamins and minerals take part in various metabolic processes. Calcium and phosphorus maintains strength of the bones; sodium and potassium assist in carrying nerve impulses. Without a healthful eating routine, any of the above crucial functions can be compromised.


Weight Control

Apart from the quality of the food you take, the amount of the food matters while contemplating healthy eating habits. Taking the same amount of calories that you consume guarantees your weight stays stable. Taking more than you consume, however, brings about weight gain as your body transforms additional calories to fats. The accumulation of fat tissue increases the chances for the development of one or more wellbeing problems, including coronary diseases, hypertension, respiratory abnormalities, diabetes, and cancers. Moreover the foods rich in saturated fats and sugar, when taken every now and then, can also cause weight gain and obesity.

Good food keeps up a perfect body weight and helps in preventing obesity. Eating food with balanced calories and nutrients can furnish the body with the fuel it requires to work while keeping it away from weight gain. Such meal without extra calories enables you feel better as well as can prolong your life.

Disease Prevention

Obesity is not the single disease related to abnormal food. A poor diet has also been associated with numerous pathologies, for example, diabetes, coronary disease and certain sorts of tumors. Saturated fats are notorious for causing atherosclerosis, which is a significant risk factor for heart attack and stroke. Food rich in cholesterol can increase levels of LDL cholesterol in the body, which may lead to the blood vessel damage that occur in atherosclerosis.

An excessive or too small amount of specific nutrients can also cause wellbeing problems. For example, an absence of calcium in eating regimen can lead to the development of osteoporosis, or debilitation of bones, while excessive amount of fats can bring about cardiovascular diseases. 

Taking food from numerous sources guarantees your body has the supplements it requires to stay away from these health issues. Consuming balanced diet and dietary fibre helps in decreasing blood cholesterol levels and reduces the risk for heart diseasess.

Saturday 14 May 2016

Why do We Tie The Knot?


Setting up an incredible home begins with picking your mate for lifetime. And this activity is made official in a function known as wedding. A marriage ceremony is critical as it ties you to an eternal responsibility. It is a ritual for honestly showing your profound devotion to the individual you decided to pass the whole of your upcoming life with.

Wedding is a standout among the most imperative occasions in life of an individual. It is the beginning of a procedure of making a family. Wedding is the emblem of commitment and establishment of your affection to your consort. It is an announcement to the entire universe of your obvious fondness to your companion.

Importance Of Weddings
There are many reasons why wedding is imperative to the lady, the bridegroom, and all the people around. Apart from the standard justification of affection and loyalty, individuals of all kinds of different backgrounds have contrasting perspectives why wedding is so important to them.

Value The Relationship
Wedding your mate is a lovely method for demonstrating him/her that you esteem your relation. When you wed your companion, you affirm your everlasting dedication to him or her. Marrying your co-partner is a decent strategy to protect and flourish your adoring relation. The wedding pledge will encourage and strengthen the tie-up between you and the individual you adore. Plus, it is the ethical, social and lawful thing to do as per your faith and the laws of the country.

Purity
Marriage is intended for piety. In this world of despair and distress, we are consistently under ambush by allurement and temptation from numerous directions. The obligation of wedding provides us the courage to thrash that allurement by taking part in profound, fulfilling love- a physical, emotional and spiritual adoration that is provided, and received from your soul mate.

Love & Affection
Wedding is not merely a physical union; it is also about uniting spiritually and emotionally. Marriage is intended to reflect God's unlimited affection for us. It is an adoration that will be there forever and will never abandon us or spurn us. At the point when a man and lady cherish each other with that enduring affection, satisfaction comes after and bliss proliferates.

Open Announcement Of Commitment
Getting married is an act of publicly announcing your commitment to another person. You are surrounded by almost everyone you love in this world and you are announcing your dedication openly to your partner. “That is who we are, and we are making a commitment to devote our lives to one another”. This is such an incredible feeling to encounter.

All Admiration
Wedding is an event where all the invited people pile up acclaims for the lady of the hour and the lucky man. It is an occasion that both sides of the entourage are energized and cheerful about the imminent wedding function of the day. We can have remarks from guests acknowledging the delightful setting from the wedding attire to the catering and cuisine.

Friday 13 May 2016

Top Five Tips to make Entertaining Catering for Children Attending your Wedding


There can be nothing better than watching the little kids roam here and there at your wedding; little girls in fluffy gowns and little boys in tuxedos win the hearts of all the guests at your wedding. The moment the bride enters, you must see the expressions on the faces of the little ones; they look at you with all the admiration. That’s the emotion that the bride wants to see on everyone’s faces.

Since kids make a big difference to your wedding, you must pay attention to their entertainment and needs to. Most of the children enjoy eating at the wedding. It is your duty to ensure that you choose one of the best caterers, which knows how to give the most amazing and beautiful services to you. The food must not only be tasty, but also presentable in such a way that all the guests, including the children, are attracted to eat it.

Here are the top five tips for you to make the catering entertaining for the kids:

  • Keep a chocolate fountain for the little bunnies: Most of the caterers now have chocolate fountains at the weddings so that the kids are kept busy, while their parents enjoy their privacy. If you really want to see the glow on the faces of the little kids, ask your caterer to keep a chocolate fountain for them. Chocolate-dipped ice creams or cakes can be served for the little bunnies.

  • Decorate cupcakes on a white table: Tell your caterer to arrange for a pure white table or a table with a white table cloth on which you can place all the cupcakes that you want. Such things keep the little beasts busy in their own world. 

  • Place helium-filled balloons in different sections that are specifically meant for the children attending the wedding: Helium balloons are beautiful; if you want the catering to be entertaining for the kids at your wedding in Wolverhampton, you need to make sure that the food items have helium balloons placed in different sections. These balloons can have the names of the dishes written or printed.

  • Name their drinks and food: You need to name the dishes and drinks for the kids so that they are attracted to eat or drink them.

  • Ensure that they don’t spoil their dresses while eating anything: Arrange for food in such a way that the kids don’t spoil their appearance at the wedding.

Wednesday 11 May 2016

Wedding Caterers - How Do You Choose?



Your wedding day is one of the biggest days of your life. Years of planning have gone into this day and you want everything to be completely perfect. Even detailed had been planned out and you do not want a single thing to fall apart last minute. That is why picking the right caterer is one of the most important decisions that you can make. The food at your wedding can make or break it because the food will have a huge influence on how much your guests are enjoying themselves. That is why you need the best caterers you can find, you need Staffordshire Catering.


When hiring a catering team for your wedding you want to make sure that the team is great at planning. The best way to succeed is to plan ahead. You want caterers who will be able to be prepared for any unforeseen problems that could occur, and with large events such as weddings you know that there will be some sort of problems that come up. 


Staffordshire Catering will be able to give you an amazing experience due to our high quality food for every taste. We have years, even decades, of experience. All of the food is made using fresh produce to give the best taste, and the food is also all home made and freshly prepared for your event. One of the biggest things that you want to keep in mind when picking a catering business, is how much experience their chefs have because ultimately the chefs will make the event successful or not. The chefs at Staffordshire Catering all have years of experience cooking and preparing food, and they are committed to going above and beyond to make your wedding perfect. 


Staffordshire Catering is the perfect company for your next event, whether it be a wedding or even a children’s party. The full team is dedicated to making sure that your event goes perfectly. The food will wow your guests and the chefs will work with you to make sure that there is food that everyone will enjoy eating. With home made recipes and fresh produce, Staffordshire Catering will do everything that is needed to make sure that you are stratified with the quality of your food. So next time that you have an event whether it be big or small call Staffordshire Catering. 


Tuesday 15 March 2016

Catering Like a Mofo


As opposed to popular belief, there's a lot more to catering than just serving delicious food. Catering is an experience, with food being a pivotal part of it. A lot of planning, organizing and creativity must go in it to ensure that the customers are given an enjoyable experience as is relevant and appropriate for the occasion. Many factors like utensils, glassware, table setting, and of course menu come into play to make a catering experience enjoyable.


Caterer-Client Meeting

The first step in creating the best catering experience is to have a caterer-client meeting either over the phone or through obtaining a face to face appointment. The point of this meeting is to set up the basis for the event. The client must inform the caterer about the formality or informality of the event, the number of guests attending, the venue, the budget, the date of the event and any suggestions they might have for what kind of food to serve. If the client is unsure about the menu the other factors can help the caterer narrow down options and assist the client to get something that they'll be satisfied with. Therefore before contacting a caterer it's important to have thought about the above mentioned points to ensure no time is wasted and the caterer is enabled to help to the best of their abilities and expertise. 


Catering Proposal

After having given the caterer the relevant information about the type of event, the caterer can come up with a catering proposal to adhere to the specific requirements. A proposal would inform the client about the beverages and food items involved along with giving an idea about the staff, set up and perhaps any taxes involved. After the proposal has been made it will be given to the client and another appointment can be set up to work out any further details or to confirm what works and what doesn't.


The Tasting

After the proposal has been sent to the client and discussed it's time for a tasting appointment. It is highly likely that there are several dishes that the client has never tried before or the client wants to know how well a certain dish is cooked by the catering company. Either way it is necessary to have a tasting test to ensure that the dishes are at par with the client's taste and whether a certain dish should be served at the final catering event or not.


Planning and Executing the Event

And lastly we have the finalized plan and its execution. Many catering companies use software like Room Viewer to help them plan the set up and it is particularly helpful at the time of the actual event when print outs can be taken out of the planned set up and distributed to vendors and all those in charge of the set up. It ensures a sense of direction for all those involved and a smooth running of the event.

Sunday 13 March 2016

Purity!


Most times life knocks us down or just gets simply hard all of a sudden and makes us reach for comfort foods. These include ice-cream, cakes, pizza, burgers, soda, etcetera. The thing is these foods are very dangerous to our body when consumed excessively and they make us feel heavy, lethargic and unable to handle life. They also raise your cholesterol levels, choke your arteries and make you highly susceptible to heart attacks.

There are so many other wonderful food options that not only does our body good but helps us live longer and stress-free lives. They include: food rich in carbohydrates, fibre and water; fruits and vegetable and basically all the food groups in the right daily requirements. 

These ones will boost your energy level that can keep you going for hours; unlike processed sugar that quickly passed your system and drops your energy level so fast that you are left depressed. They also build your body's immunity, aid digestion, help with bowel movement, and they leave your skin looking great and nourished. In fact every part of you comes alive!

Let's take a look at some of them.

Vegetables and fruits
They are rich in antioxidants, vitamin C, minerals, water and all other goodies that your body needs to fight diseases, heal and in general stay healthy. They are the best friends for your immune system. So inculcate the habit of taking fruits and vegetables every day.

Foods rich in carbohydrates and fibres.
They include sweet potatoes, rice, oats, whole wheat, barley, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, pea, lima brand, lentils, banana etcetera. They give you long lasting energy for your daily energy needs and keep with digestion. These foods help to reduce obesity, diabetes and heart diseases. 

Just remember that eating them in the right proportion matters a lot. Exercise right and also drink plenty of water.

Wednesday 17 February 2016

Our 5 Ultimate Tips For Catering Your Wedding!

Catering is a very important, and of course, delicious aspect of just about any wedding reception. All the guests who will come to celebrate and support the Mr. and Mrs will eventually become hungry at some point. But serving over one hundred guests can be extremely stressful. That's why hiring a catering company is the best solution possible. But even so, in order for everything to go as smoothly as it gets, there are several aspects regarding the catering for a wedding. 

1. Ask for referrals and choose wisely. Evidently, the best idea when it comes to appointing a seasoned caterer for your wedding, is to ask family members and friends for referrals. And going with a local caterer may not always be the perfect choice. For example, on our wedding las year, we opted for a Wolverhampton company, even though we're from Dudley. It simply fit to all our needs. Of course, if no reliable information and recommendation is provided by close ones, turn to the ads, media and the internet. 2. Opt for foods that are in season. When it comes to food, freshness is by far, the most important aspect. Thus, the best idea is to opt for foods that are in season, widely available and maybe more affordable as well. Of course, there are also timeless foods, such as salmon fillets, lobster rolls, roast chicken and many others, but a tomato salad or a watermelon-based dessert, may not be the best choice for a wedding in February. 

4. Make sure the catering staff will wear the right attire. Each and every wedding has its own theme, even though most wedding receptions opt for a formal theme, guests wearing tuxedos and long dresses. Evidently, in this case if the catering staff will be wearing khakis and polos, they will appear to casual. On the other hand, if the reception is more intimate, and you opt for a more casual theme, catering staff dressed too formal, may simply appear as "too much". 3. Your wedding party vendors need to eat too. Every wedding party will have at least one photographer, videographer, entertainment personnel, planner and other specialists. Make sure you account for them too, when it comes to catering. The quality of their service may be reflected by the way you treat them. 

5. Always ask questions and give suggestions. Never assume that any of the hired personnel for your wedding reception, will know everything they must do, in order for their service to be in perfect harmony with the wedding theme and the whole event. Thus, don't be afraid to ask the obvious, and also make the necessary suggestions and ask for suggestions if necessary, in order to avoid any unpleasant surprises.

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Friday 12 February 2016

What Do We Mean By A Balanced Diet?


“A balanced diet” – it’s one of those phrases you’ll hear thrown around a lot on TV, in cookbooks, and even by your doctor. But what does it actually mean, and what does a truly balanced meal look like? 

One of the easiest ways to understand balance when it comes to the food we eat is to divide things into their respective food groups.

Fruit and vegetables, for example, are crucial for a healthy diet – which is why the government is always trying to convince you to eat more of them. Have you had your five a day, yet?

Starchy foods such as rice, potato, bread and pasta form the basis of most meals, and are where we get the majority of our energy from. It’s generally recommended that you try and get two portions of these kinds of food each day.

Protein comes in the form of meat, fish, dairy and eggs. You don’t need as much protein as you do other types of food, but it is an important component that keeps you healthy and helps you build muscle.

Foods rich in fat and sugar also form another group. Examples include chips, milkshakes, almost all desserts and most fizzy drinks. Although we do need some fat and sugar in our diet, most people already consume too much of these types of food. People are often advised to try and cut down the amount of fatty sugary foods they eat. 

Next time you sit down for a meal, take a look at your plate. Which food groups might you need more of – and which do you have too much of already?

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