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Opening a Restaurant After Covid

January 11, 2021

The global pandemic has made it difficult for many small businesses to stay afloat, but it is safe to say that restaurants and bars have been hit the hardest. Opening a restaurant after COVID might not be the easiest endeavor, but with care you can turn it into a thriving business.

Opening a Restaurant After Covid

Now, with a vaccine already in circulation, the general consensus is that it is time to look to the future. In any given town in the United States of America, there are cafés, bars, and restaurants that have gone out of business, leaving empty buildings behind. It’s a sad reality, but it also forms the foundation of a new wave of opportunity for prospective entrepreneurs.

Looking to the Future

As a result of the failure of so many restaurants, rents are more competitive than they have been in years. A savvy new owner could easily snap up an ideal location and hire a highly competent staff with minimal effort given the wide availability of leases and potential employees. However, to be successful you will need to succeed where your predecessors have failed. You will need to form an adaptable plan that keeps your community engaged and interested in preparation for a full re-opening. Here are just a few tips for achieving those goals.

Use and Abuse Social Media

We have all been thrown through a loop this past year. We spend less time out and about, so it may be difficult to promote your new restaurant at this time. Luckily, social media provides ample opportunities to engage with your community despite pandemic limitations. Targeted ads on Facebook and Instagram are great places to start, but you need to make sure that they lead your audience to material that will actually keep their attention.

To flesh out your social media presence, build a website that’s more than just a menu and contact information. Well-written blogs about food and the travels that inspired them are a great way to show your community that you’re passionate about what you do. If you’re more technologically savvy, this approach can be easily built out into videos. You may feature your signature recipes, introduce the owners, and give people the sense that you genuinely can’t wait to meet them in real life.

Be Creative with Your Take-Out Options

Take-out is an even bigger part of the average American’s life than it was twelve months ago. And that isn’t going to fade any time soon. In order to stay competitive, you will need to be creative. Selling bottles of wine complete with a link for a video of your sommelier discussing that wine is a great way to give people the sense of a night out while on their couch. You may also introduce “family-sized” meals that require ten minutes in the oven to finish cooking. This can reduce strain on your kitchen staff. And it can give your community new, family-friendly options.

Use this Time to Renovate

Hopefully, this is the only time in your restaurant’s lifetime that you will be operating with practically no one inside. Therefore, this proves the perfect time to get work done without losing extra revenue. You can’t be sure that the previous owners did proper maintenance, so take the time to perform a full inspection. Ice machines and soda fountain equipment prove common places where mold and other unpleasant things can grow if they don’t receive regular cleaning. If you doubt that they’re in pristine condition, it is best to replace them with ice makers in Orange County prior to having guests use those facilities. For Los Angeles soda fountain installation, check out SC Beverage.

Give Your Customers Time to Adjust

Even without government mandates, it is going to take time for things to go back to normal. Don’t put time and effort into planning a big re-opening party the day after the vaccine has made it through the final tier. People may not be ready yet. Instead, stay active on social media and keep potential customers apprised of any and all changes. There will be an adjustment period, but everything will eventually return to normal.

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How to Make Classic Eggnog from Scratch

December 3, 2019

Traditional eggnog recipe in mug under Christmas tree

The holiday season is finally here and with it come some delicious holiday recipes. While your family and friends gather around, and the cookies warm in the oven, why not try mixing up some scrumptious eggnog for everyone to enjoy? There are many different types of eggnog these days, from the classic eggnog recipe to some spicy twists and turns. Below, we’ll cover a few to get you started on this particular holiday excursion.

For everything you need to take your beverage game to the next level, reach out to SC Beverage today. We carry commercial beer systems, juice equipment, and ice makers.

Traditional Egg Nog Recipe

by Lauren Allen

If you’re looking for that classic eggnog recipe, look no further. While store-bought eggnog does the trick for some, there’s nothing like egg nog made from scratch. This eggnog recipe suggests using fresh nutmeg to really make it special. It has everything a traditional eggnog taste to a thick, creamy, smooth texture.

What you’ll need:

6 large egg yolks
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 cup heavy whipping cream
2 cups milk
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Pinch of salt
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
Ground cinnamon

Instructions

First, you’ll want to whisk the egg yolks and granulated sugar together until you get a creamy texture. Then, combine the milk, cream, fresh nutmeg, and salt into a saucepan, and heat on medium to a simmer, stirring occasionally.

Next, you’ll want to add this warm milky mixture into the egg & sugar bowl, just a spoonful at a time, while whisking.

When you’ve finished pouring all the milky mixture into the eggs & sugar, pour the entire contents into the saucepan. Then, whisk continually until it starts to thicken.

At this point, you’ll want to remove the saucepan from the heat and add the vanilla — and voila, you have your eggnog!

You should store the egg nog in a pitcher in the fridge to let it cool. Take note that as it cools, it will likely thicken on its own. If you’d like it to be thinner, you can always add more milk and blend.

Make an impression by topping it off with a little bit of cinnamon and some whipped cream when served.

Eggnog Recipes with a Twist

Texas Eggnog or Tequila Eggnog

When people think of spiking their eggnog, they tend to lean more towards bourbon, rum, or brandy, but have you ever tried it with tequila? It may sound crazy, but using good quality anejo tequila will add even more spice to your eggnog from the natural taste of the agave plant. If you’re looking for a little punch with your eggnog this season, try switching it up a bit with this recipe at Gokker.

Gingerbread Eggnog

This spin on classic eggnog requires a bit of fresh ginger, dark molasses, and decadent rum. It’s like you’re practically eating a gingerbread cookie! Most of the other ingredients are the same as a traditional eggnog recipe, but for the whole list and instructions, check out Simply Tasty’s recipe here.

Spanish Eggnog

This next take on eggnog it more like a cocktail and has become increasingly popular over the years. It involves a bit of Gran Duque de Alba, Dry Sack, and some simple syrup. Check it out here!

Dutch Eggnog

The Dutch have their own take on eggnog, referred to as “advocaat of the devil” and it’s a bit thicker than regular eggnog. A little bit of brandy and cocoa powder make this eggnog to die for.

Whether or not you choose to put together some classic eg nog or take it for a spin, you can get in the spirit this holiday season with any one of these delicious recipes.

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Health Benefits of Coffee Sure to Put a Pep in Your Step

July 18, 2019

Coffee is one of the most popular beverages throughout the world, dating back to 800 A.D. It’s naturally energizing due to its stimulant, caffeine, which is the most popular psychoactive substance in the world. Below are some studied benefits of coffee. They range from improved brain function, physical performance, and fat burning abilities, to its nutrient-dense and disease-fighting ingredients. To start your customer’s day right with commercial coffee equipment, get in touch with SC Beverage today.

Enhanced Brain Function

Caffeine can many aspects of brain function, including energy levels, focus, memory, mood, and more. Caffeine is absorbed into the bloodstream and sent to the brain, according to healthline.com. This blocks the inhibitory neurotransmitter adenosine, which causes stimulation. This increases the levels of norepinephrine and dopamine. These increased levels enhance the firing of neurons, improving energy levels, mood, and brain function.

Improved Physical Performance

In addition to the mind, coffee increases adrenaline levels in your blood. This allows you to push yourself harder during a workout. It also has a significant effect on the body’s nervous system and its ability to break down body fat. Your body can use this as fuel during physical exertion. According to the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), this can improve the performance of a workout by an average of around 12 percent.

Fat Burning Qualities

Almost every fat-burning supplement offered includes the ingredient caffeine. It’s one of the only natural substances that increase your bodies natural ability to burn fat. Studies by the NCBI show that caffeine can boost your metabolic rate by three to 11 percent, although regular coffee drinkers may build up a tolerance.

Nutrients

Coffee beans contain many nutrients including vitamin B2, vitamin B3, vitamin B5, magnesium, potassium, and more. These nutrients aid general health, improve immune systems, and more.

Fighting Depression

In addition to improving immediate mood and making people feel more energized, coffee can actually fight depression. According to a 2011 Harvard study, women who drank four or more cups a day were 20 percent less likely to identify as depressed. This also correlated to the majorly reduced suicidal tendencies among the study’s participants.

Lower Risks of Disease

It can also reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes, which is a common health problem for millions of people that elevate their blood sugar levels due to insulin resistance. People who drink coffee are one quarter to a half as likely to get the disease.

Coffee has also been known to reduce people likelihood of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, an incurable neurodegenerative disease that severely affects people’s memory and causes their mental health to decline.

Parkinson’s is another incurable neurodegenerative condition caused by the death of neurons that generate dopamine. Symptoms include tremors, a decline in speech abilities, and rigid muscles. According to the Wiley Online Library, those who drink caffeinated coffee have 32 to 60 percent less chance of developing Parkinson’s. Liver health may improve by drinking coffee as well, reducing the risk of cirrhosis, a condition caused by several liver diseases where scar tissue overtakes the liver. Coffee can also protect against both liver and colorectal cancer.

Overall Life Quality

Coffee can boost people’s moods, make them feel energized, reduce the risk of disease and regulate metabolism. It isn’t surprising that all of these benefits show that coffee may actually help you live longer, according to findings from Healthline.

Whether you enjoy a cup in the morning to prepare for an important work meeting, in the afternoon for a pick me up, or an hour before a workout to enhance your ability to push yourself, you may find that coffee is essential to your daily routine. Luckily for you, a daily cup of coffee, or even two or three, has shown to improve many aspects of people’s lives, both short term, and long term. So go ahead, enjoy that cup of coffee.

Commercial Coffee Equipment

If you are interested in purchasing commercial coffee equipment for your restaurant, office, or any other commercial business, SC Beverage offers a trusted array of options and will even install the easy-to-use equipment for you. Share the benefits of coffee with your community.

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Is Your Business up to Code? Restaurant and Bar Safety Guidelines

February 14, 2019

When your business serves food and drinks, there are certain regulations to which you must adhere to ensure consumer health is protected. The regulations pertain to employee behavior, food storage, alcohol, and water safety. SC Beverage provides water filters in Orange County which exceed industry standards, so you can rest easy knowing your customers are protected.

Providing Safe Drinking Water

All business owners in the United States– restaurants and bar owners included– are responsible for providing his or her employees with clean drinking water to keep them hydrated throughout their shift. To protect employees, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has set forth drinking water standards and guidelines.

OSHA Drinking Water Standards

● Provide potable drinking water in adequate amounts. [Note: “potable water” does not mean filtered water. For water filters in Orange County, check out SC Beverage.
SC Beverage offers brands like Everpure, OptiPure, and Selecto– just to name a few.
● Provide employees with potable water only used for employee health and personal needs.
● Have a drinking fountain, single-use water bottles, or “dispense drinking water from a covered container with single-use drinking cups stored in a sanitary receptacle.”
● Not allow employees to “share drinking cups, dippers, or water bottles.”
[naturawater.com]

Adding a Water Filtration System

“Potable water” must meet its own safety standards and is therefore generally considered safe to drink. However, if you care about your employees, you may well want to go a step farther and install a water filtration system for their drinking water. SC Beverage offers water filters in Orange County from one to triple filter to meet your filtering needs. Providing filtered water ensures your employees will drink clean, fresh water free from many contaminants that are often found in potable water.

Filtered water dispensers can hook up directly to your water line and remove impurities from treated tap water like chlorine, pesticides, heavy metals, and even bacteria. When your staff has clean water to drink, they are encouraged to stay hydrated. This will make them more healthy and productive throughout the day.

Contact SC Beverage to find out more about your options for water filters in Orange County.

Food Storage

Store food items must be stored separately and labeled by date received, using the first items received first and the last, last. You must have a working thermometer and the refrigeration must be below 40 degrees Fahrenheit.

Alcohol

You have to contact your local city office for a license to sell alcohol. There are different types of licenses depending on the type of alcohol you are selling, and whether or not you are producing it on-site.

Employee Cleanliness

Employees should stay clean at all times, wash their hands regularly, and keep their hair pulled back and out of the way of food and beverages.

Employee Safety

Employers must abide by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulations. OSHA will visit and inspect your location to make sure you meet their health and safety standards for employees.

Other Restaurant Inspections

Usually, restaurant inspections are done by the County health department — but each state has its own restaurant health inspection procedures. There are many violations for which restaurant and bar licenses can be, and have been, suspended.

How to Find Out More About Specific Regulations

All businesses have to obtain certain state and federal licenses and permits, and the food and beverage sector is no exception. In fact, it is commonly thought the stakes are higher in this industry because your choices affect the consumer and his or her health and safety.

To find out which licenses and permits you are required to get, visit the state and federal agencies’ websites. You can find many helpful links on the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) food and beverage guide.

Another good way to find specific information is to contact your industry association. In California, the California Restaurant Association can give you information about issues related to restaurants and bars. If your business is in another state, contact the National Business Association for a list of state restaurant associations. If you can, you should try to meet with a representative so you can have a full conversation and get completely filled-in on all the details you need for your business.

Water Filters in Orange County

SC Beverage is a preeminent company providing sales and distribution of any beverage need. For all the systems we provide, clean water is one of the most important. With innovative ideas, exceptional customer service, and high-quality products, we pride ourselves on giving you the best experience on the west coast. SC Beverage provides engineered water filter systems for both commercial and residential sites. When you need a water filter, SC Beverage is the clear choice. Call (562)463-8918 or leave us a message here to request more information.

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Fall Coffee Recipes to Get You in a Cozy Mood

November 2, 2018

There’s something about the autumn season that gets people in the mood for spiced and festive flavors. From pumpkin spice lattes to cinnamon milk drinks, there are many ways to spruce up your coffee game in celebration of fall. Whether you enjoy your drink hot in the morning, or chilled in the late afternoon, there are plenty of ingredients and techniques to give your coffee a unique twist for these next couple of months.

SC Beverage provides affordable beverage dispensers in Orange County to all workplaces, coffee shops, cafes, and others who wish to deliver their favorite fall coffee recipe to guests and customers everywhere. Thinking of concocting some styles of your own? Here are a few of the best fall coffee recipes that are easy to make, and even easier to enjoy.

1. Spicy Chai Latte

You might be thinking, “hold on a second. Chai is not the same thing as coffee!” While you are certainly correct, there’s something special about this recipe that makes it worthy of a spot on our list. This special spicy version of everyone’s favorite chai tea latte does in fact include coffee – a shot of it, in fact!

If you want something to truly wake you up in the mornings, add a shot or two of espresso to your chai latte for a huge burst of energy. It might not be spicy, but you’ll certainly feel the heat!

2. Salted Caramel Mocha Latte

These are all the best words combined into a single sentence. You can really get into the spirit of enjoying fall with this salted caramel mocha latte.

Start by making an old-fashioned latte. This is as simple as coffee with steamed or foamed milk on top. Then, you’ll want to add your mocha – this can either be through a mix or by combining cocoa and coffee powder. Once that’s all mixed in, it’s time for the magic touch – the salted caramel. Be sure to pick up a sea salt packet or two at your local coffee store so you can dust this essence on top of your drink. Drizzle the drink with caramel syrup, and you’ll be full up on sweetness for a while to come!

3. Pumpkin Spice Latte

Of course, the new classic fall drink. People everywhere go wild over these seasonal-restricted drinks, which includes a lot of coffee and a lot of pumpkin syrup. These drinks really are simple to make – so much so, that we recommend filling up your beverage dispensers in Orange County with this concoction for a nice treat at your next work or personal event.

There is special pumpkin spice mix that you can purchase at most grocery and coffee stores. Otherwise, you can make a simple latte and add a few pumps of pumpkin syrup for flavoring. Be sure to top it with whipped cream and a dusting of your favorite spice!

4. Mocha Hot Chocolate

Hot chocolate is another fall favorite, and a classic one to boot. So, it’s not difficult to imagine that combining a hot chocolate with a coffee-based coffee drink is like a dream come true. And making it takes no time at all!

Our secret is that we add coconut milk as a base, rather than whole milk. This makes the drink not only sweeter and more flavorful, but thicker and creamier as well. It’s a win-win all around. We highly recommend this one!

Keep Your Drinks Festive All Season Long!

It’s now easier than ever to keep your favorite fall drink close on hand. With beverage dispensers in Orange County, you can fill up on your mocha hot chocolate or salted caramel mocha latte and keep coming back to the dispenser for more. It’s a great way to keep you and your guests satisfied all day long! If you’re interested in learning more about our dynamic fall coffee recipes, or you want to inquire about our beverage dispensers, you can contact SC Beverage online or call at (562) 463-8918.

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