 A Newsletter for Foodservice Executives |
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News, trends, science, design and tidbits that influence food, foodservice and foodservice equipment |
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 Conserve Solutions Center
by Laurel Hughes, FCSI
Instant-Off Pro Series is a commercial water-saving control for hand sink and bathroom faucets that helps prevent cross-contamination from touching faucet handles. This inexpensive device screws  onto the faucet in place of a standard aerator. Faucet handles are turned on to mix water to the desired temperature and left on. The user then pushes a rod connected to the device to dispense water, and releases it to automatically shut water off. Instant-Off is available with theft- and vandal-proof features. It comes with an adapter to fit almost any faucet.
You can make your own mild, non-toxic cleaning and sanitizing products with EcoLogic Solutions' eMachine. Environmentally savvy CEO Anselm Doering conceptualized the business after visiting a rest room where a poster announced it as being "proud to be cleaned" by a strong, toxic disinfectant. The wall-mounted eMachine uses ECA (electric chemical activation) technology to generate either a sanitizer/disinfectant or a detergent using purified salt, water and electricity. SANewater sanitizer can be used in public areas and back of the house including as a produce wash. eWater detergent can be used in a dishmachine, with floor scrubbers and with carpet cleaners/extractors. The eMachine comes in several sizes and plugs into a 110v. outlet. The website page for this unit is currently under construction.
The Heat Cheat energy reclaim system uses heat from the building air conditioning to heat water and cool the hot AC gas.Fans which normally air-cool AC gas can be shut off automatically when not needed, saving electricity and equipment wear and tear. The Heat Cheat uses a stainless steel heat exchanger through which hot refrigerant gas is circulated. Heat removed from the gas transfers to a recirculating water system creating hot water that can exceed 130° F. This heated water circulates through an indirect water tank using stainless steel tubes to heat domestic cold water. The preheated domestic water then flows into a standard water heater which heats it to its final temperature if necessary. According to the manufacturer the Heat Cheat system meets all national standards and regulations for safe energy reclaim. www.the-gadget-factory.com
Bill Wagner was tired of paying high trash hauling fees for his five Florida restaurants so he developed a simple mechanical method of  deflating the volume of trash by 40-60%. Pack-A-Drum features an octagonal drum with a large circular wheel used to operate the pressing mechanism. A heavy-duty clear plastic bag holds the trash allowing visual inspection of contents to reduce theft. The operator empties trash into the drum, manually turns the wheel to lower the pressing plate, squashing the trash. The system is all-metal and comes with a platform cart to stage waste, reducing trips to the dumpster.
Nature's Breeze penetrates the walls of a walk-in cooler and the building and blows cold outdoor air into the cooler. It works any time outdoor air temperature is 32°F or less. The refrigeration system doesn't need to run as frequently, saving energy. This unit can cool up to 3000 cubic feet. It consists of a 2 amp blower fan, thermostatic control, internal damper with filter and external hood with screen. Nature's Breeze can also be installed in spaces where the walk-in isn't immediately adjacent to the building wall by using an insulated flexible duct. Plugs into a 110v outlet. The website is very incomplete at this time, but the company can be contacted for information. |
IWD Plug
Contact us. We can help. Call 877-312-1706, Mike Colburn at ext.101. info@ideaswelldone.com |
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Dear Geoff,
It's a good thing NRA is a four-day show. Those standing in a booth for four days may not appreciate it, but it takes a lot of time to walk all the aisles of both buildings and stop to learn about new products.
The most fun stuff is still off in the remote corners and sides - sometimes stuck behind the crowds at a tempting food booth - and very worth the effort to find them. One of this years Kitchen Innovation Award Winners was in one of those ten-foot booths last year.
I asked a friend of ours, Laurel Hughes, FCSI, to scout the Conserve Solution Center for anything she found of interest. Her selection is included below.
Mary Esther Treat
Vice President
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IWD Teaser
At Ideas Well Done a good (as in sizable AND beneficial) piece of our business is derived from licensing new products and technology to manufacturers in foodservice equipment and other industries. In future newsletters we will have a "Placement" section where we describe a current offering for licensing.
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Catering & Portable Equipment
Clear Block Ice Block Machine is the only portable ice block maker. I always thought chefs froze ice in a mold - but I was wrong - ice from molds is not  clear. Some chefs buy large blocks of ice, which creates sanitary concerns. Clear Block creates a very large block of perfectly clear ice by circulating water in an NSF-approved tank. It takes 30 hours to completely freeze and during that time objects can be added as the water freezes from the bottom up. The display at NRA had toy motorcycles and tiny flags inside the block of ice. Once the block is frozen the bed can be raised for removal or carving. It's available from Buffet Enhancements International.
A perfect entrepreneurial combination: Vickie Button left a career in marketing to join her husband John, a former tool and die maker, to se ll the grill top griddle John designed for his church's boys group. The boys wanted to make breakfast dishes when camping - it's so hard to do pancakes on a grill! - and John fabricated a flat, full-size, low-stick cooking surface with side walls and a grease trough. It worked so well he made another for his own grill. Everyone wanted one - so they quit their jobs and formed GriddleQ. Recent models include one for round kettle grills and a less expensive version called SizzleQ. All units have cross bracing underneath for stability. The griddles can be purchased online or at local hardware stores.
Blackstone focuses on grills and outdoor accessories, but what caught our eyes was the EcoChafer, a double-walled chafing pan that claims to require half the fuel to maintain even temperatures compared to the standard  heated water bath system. Wayne Welch looked for a solution to the frequent lack of water at catering sites. After noticing that a home space heater was filled with oil, he was inspired to use food grade oil between nested annealed pans. Welch said that he "accidentally" discovered that EcoChafer reduced costs - he says that oil heats faster than water and it can stay at 152°F with one can of fuel. No water bath is needed. Blackstone also offers a catering griddle that can be broken down and folded quickly. Made out of cold rolled steel, it comes pre-seasoned.
Pour 'n Save is one of those wonderful why-didn't-we-think-of-it ideas - a wine gauge that measures a precise serving. The metal structure's adjustable brackets have semi-circular cut outs that accommodate a wide range of stemware. The bracket is set precisely where you want your bartender to fill a wine glass.
Spring USA introduced a griddle attachment for their induction cooktop. Made of multi-ply metals to keep it flat (3 layers of aluminum between layers of stainless steel), the company expects to receive approvals in a month or so.
Edibles by Jack required repeat visits during NRA - unfortunately I missed Jack every time. Apparently Jack was in the catering business around  Chelsea, MA and started making edible hors d'oeuvre "spoons" 17 years ago. Now they're taking over his life. Ten flavors (five more coming) currently include chocolate, cranberry, corn dill & lemon, coconut curry so you select to complement whatever you're serving.
Waring "makes things that spin and things that heat" according to my friendly booth guide. One new item does both: a 120V crepe machine (below). They offer the only NSF batter spreader, made of solid aluminum.
For those who open a lot of wine bottles, consider the cordless rechargable wine bottle opener. After the augur is in the cork, put the opener in reverse and the cork drops into your hand. The stacked waffle maker doubles production with the middle plate cooking both the upper and lower waffles. Their food processor is designed so that the blade stays in place as you can pour out the contents - the blade is locked onto its shaft. Not all these products are on their website yet - at least not in the Commercial section.
Smart Buffet Ware offers an electric device that replaces canned heat and saves 80% of the cost (it costs 5 cents/hr to run). At 600  watts it's also much less of an energy hog than induction. Magnets attach it to the bottom of a standard chafing dish (or a stainless plate in the water pan). Only one liter of water is needed in the water bath. |
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The high tech gadgets entering the foodservice market can be pretty entertaining. The Volcano Vaporization System from Storz & Bickel America Inc. heats a small sam ple (herbs, for example) and collects the vaporized scent. "Aromatization" is flavoring food with pure aromatic vapor. Also food can be flavored by gently cooking it in an oven bag filled with Volcano-generated aroma. The most unusual suggested use is to create an ambient aroma during a meal to enhance the dining experience. The Volcano can fill a "pillow" with aroma - when a dish is served, the pillow is pierced with small holes and placed underneath the plate to slowly disperse throughout the meal. Booth staff recommended infusing liquids with scent - as shown at right.
Hielscher Ultrasonics makes ultrasonic devices for many industries. Their homogenizer breaks cells, which releases flavors and sugars - allowing users to prepare foods with less added sugar, for example. Units come in sizes from household applications to commercial food processing and they offer a rent to own option. http://www.hielscher.com/ultrasonics/food_01.htm |
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