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What to look for in a commercial kitchen

Arguably, one of the fundamental features of any commercial kitchen, whether you have just started a small business or you run a successful chain, is the oven. There are different factors to keep in mind to ensure you get the most effective and suitable option for your needs.

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The different types of oven

Commercial ovens can generally be divided into 8 different types.

An oven range will have a large internal area for cooking, plus electric or gas hobs.

Convection ovens utilize fans for quicker cooking and less shrinkage of meat, and they’re less bulky than an oven range. If you’re really short on space, a combination of the oven is versatile and multi-talented.

Conveyor ovens are ideal for quick cooking in large volumes, providing foods fit the smaller 3-5″ opening. For the best thin crust pizza results, deck ovens with a stone base are often preferred. When it comes to large quantities of potatoes, a separate potato oven is an ideal solution.

The traditional 1970s cook and hold oven is still widely used, as it produces mouth-wateringly tender meat, and gives the ability to leave foods without them overcooking, making them useful for carveries and canteens.
To get a delicious BBQ flavor indoors for the likes of steak and vegetables, charcoal ovens cook with greater heat and require no gas or electricity.

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Meanwhile, steaming ovens can quickly cook things like rice, vegetables, and fish, while locking in nutrients and preventing shrinkage, though they can’t brown or crisp foods.

For a range of commercial ovens to suit every need, choose a quality supplier that won’t break the bank.

Health and safety

The HSE details the regulations that need to be followed regarding adequate ventilation and gas safety: http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/cais10.htm. You’ll want to consider a means of extraction, such as canopies and extraction filters, for smoke and grease.  This will help with the heat in your kitchen as well.  The last thing you want is to be stood freezing cold, trying to work as it won’t be productive.  If this is the case a column radiators company found at links like https://apolloradiators.co.uk/designer-radiators/roma-horizontal-steel-column-radiator could help you install proper radiators in the right places.

Check your requirements

Size is a crucial consideration, as the oven needs to fit in your kitchen, but it also needs to have a suitable internal capacity for your needs. Ensure you have the connections required depending on whether the oven runs on electricity, charcoal or gas. Some ovens may also need water, so when you’re measuring up for an oven, keep in mind the ability to connect to a water source.

admin by — October 19, 2019 in Food
Fascinating Café Designs from Across the World

With a diverse and huge number of cafes and coffee shops around the world, some stand out more than others for architectural uniqueness and distinctive interiors. As one of the most popular hot drinks in the world, drinking a satisfying cup of coffee can rely as much on your surroundings as the quality of the drink itself.

Here are just a few of the most interestingly designed coffee shops and cafes from across the globe:

  1. Dreamy Camera Cafe

Yangpyeong, South Korea

Inspired by a love of vintage cameras, this family from South Korea have designed and constructed an outstanding cafe to emulate a classic twin-lens vintage camera, right next to their home. Army pilot Park Sung-Hwan and his wife, a former pilot herself, made the decision to build a cafe for the family to enjoy, including their daughter, as well as local customers. Dreamy Camera is all about capturing special moments of life, living at one with nature and enjoying family life with their dog whilst welcoming customers.

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  1. Mirrors

Gifu, Japan

As you would expect, with a name like Mirrors, this otherwise nondescript cafe is covered in wall-length mirrors on the exterior, reflecting the areas iconic Cherry Blossom trees opposite. Created by Bandesign, the coffee house is located along one of the busiest tourist routes of Japan in Gifu – a certain way of welcoming tourists inside.

Camellia tree is surrounded by cream-colored gravel, while the remainder of the building is painted white to give the effect of a traditional clapboard image. It’s a perfectly balanced aesthetic with this coffee house, allowing the main focus to speak for itself. It doesn’t matter if your cafe isn’t quite as grand. Make up for it interestingly designed furniture, like the Eames Eiffel Chair from https://www.pash-classics.com/eames-eiffel-chair/

  1. Knoll Ridge Cafe

New Zealand

This stunning café is dramatically set on the North Island Tongariro National Park, Mount Ruapehu.

What do people like about it? As well as it being on the Whakapapa mountain, part of the biggest commercial skiing area in New Zealand, but also the biggest active volcano in New Zealand. Imagine that for a drink with a breathtaking view. This design was planned after the original chalet was ruined by fire in 2009 and it didn’t take long for an architecture firm to take on the challenge to redesign.

Not only the architect must take into account the adverse weather conditions of the mountain, including winds up to 200 km/ph and temperatures below freezing, but due to the remote location, the delivery of materials and installation had to take place using helicopters.

  1. BarTopolski

London, UK

This café-bar-gallery pays homage to its former inhabitant; Polish-born artist and illustrator Feliks Topolski. It features original artwork by Topolski, meaning customers can pursue their love of art history while sipping a special house-infused spirits.

Situated near London Waterloo railway station, these are the same railway arches Topolski painted and where he exhibited many of his works, such as sketches and paintings of a wide variety of people, from Kings to Kings of Rock and Roll.

  1. The Salvaged Ring Cafe

Vietnam

Located next to a highway, the cafe is found in the rural area of Nha Trang, Vietnam. What makes it special is that it belongs to a joiner who rescues pieces of wood from previous projects to build this impressive structure. The first view most people get of the unusual cafe is the curved thatched roof that extends from the highway to the river bank. A single roof connects two different levels together with a softening of the rigid support structure below.

admin by — October 15, 2019 in Food
Current Thinking on Optimizing Efficiency in Food Processing

Food manufacturers are faced with daily challenges, and how to optimize efficiency and reduce waste are two of the biggest concerns that companies of every size need to juggle. Experts believe that there are a number of ways that food and beverage firms can rise to these challenges with satisfactory results.

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The Rise of Automation Technologies

When deciding which factors are key for purchasing new equipment in the food and drinks industry, trends have changed over time, from being driven by applications to focusing on financial gain. According to Process Expo companies want to make sure that when they invest in new equipment, their investment will have a strong payback in the marketplace.

For businesses seeking financial investment, equipment based on automation technologies is proving incredibly attractive. With improved efficiency, automation reduces maintenance time and employee downtime, boosting financial savings.

Tighter Budgets

With smaller budgets and every penny needing to be accounted for, food manufacturers are also under increasing pressure to spend money wisely when buying new equipment. In some cases, firms are forced to run equipment until it dies a death, but for improving efficiency, many forward-thinking companies are investing in used food processing machines.

Cleaner Systems

Experts also believe that efficiency can be achieved for food firms by using clean-in-place, or CIP, technology. Such systems enable businesses to clean equipment whilst minimising downtime and enabling production to continue during this process. Mixproof technology, for instance, has been shown to increase productivity by up to 40 percent. Even small changes to a company’s CIP systems can make a big difference to efficiency.

Clever storage

Companies are being clever about storage and there investing in Steel Shelving from companies like Rackzone and putting them all along disused walls and putting extra resources and accessories on them for speed and efficiency.

 Efficient Use of Water

Water is an integral ingredient for food manufacturers and is also essential in the cleaning process. For businesses in this sector, there’s mounting pressure to use this scarce commodity wisely. There are several strategies businesses can take to conserve water use, including the use of special pumps that optimize usage and slash maintenance, which can result in lower costs and improved efficiencies. Firms not only have a responsibility to better manage water for the sake of their business but on a global level – it’s an aspect that everyone must rally around to safeguard. According to experts, if the water is not better managed, we could face a global shortage by 2030.

admin by — October 1, 2019 in Food
Was Your Parents’ Financial Advice Simply….Wrong?

Bob Dylan’s song The Times They Are A-Changing’ highlighting generational shifts was released 55 years ago and advises mothers and fathers to avoid criticism of what they cannot understand since the order they recognize is changing. Over a half a century later the words still resonate as parents look to advise their children on their financial future.

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Foremost amongst their concerns are education and getting on the famed property ladder, from which many of them will have benefited.

Tuition Fees

As tuition fees have spiraled in the UK since they were introduced nationwide in 1998, the choice of further education options has been the subject of debate, setting degrees versus apprenticeships at the forefront of the discussion. Over a third of a million students were accepted at universities, according to the available figures from 2018.

In 2017 the Institute for Financial Studies said that students in England would graduate with debts of over £50,000, with students from poorer households incurring more, impacting their ability to purchase the property.

At the same time as the undergraduate numbers have grown, apprenticeships, including degree apprenticeships, have increasingly been seen as an option offering the opportunity to earn whilst you study. Once earning, it is vital to seek independent financial advice on how to maximize your savings, and it is never too soon to seek help. As pensions and savings plans change constantly, parents may be out of touch with the best options.

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The thousands of courses on offer at universities mean that if you are unsure what career you want to pursue, a broader course such as an Arts or Social Science degree can offer more options.

Indeed, you may be surprised to discover that apprenticeships are available in the law, accountancy and the media as an alternative to a degree. Options are due to expand, with the government committing to creating three million more apprenticeships by 2020.

Financial Advice

Given the debt which can be incurred, getting financial advice and comparing potential earnings from different courses is a recommended course of action.

With the emergence of financial software for financial advisors found at sites such as www.intelliflo.com, help is at hand.

Times really have changed, and parents must be more pro-active when offering advice to their children if they are to avoid saddling them with debt which could affect their futures.

admin by — September 27, 2019 in Finance

The Galapagos Islands are home to some of the world’s most exotic species, from sharks and dolphins to marine iguanas and swallow-tailed gulls. However, the Galapagos is perhaps best known for the giant tortoises that inhabit the Ecuadorian islands.

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Other than Seychelles, the Galapagos Islands are the only place on the globe that these creatures exist. They have been indigenous to the islands for about one million years and are a definitive part of any Galapagos cruise. Many species of animals are tracked to follow their progress and breeding. The technology used is similar to the Fleet Vehicle Tracking that is used by companies such as https://www.vehicle-accessories.net/vehicle-tracking/fleet-tracking/ and will use GPS to send information back to a central hub.

In the 1970s, the giant tortoise who later became known as Lonesome George rose to fame after his discovery by Hungarian malacologist József Vágvölgyi. Lonesome George was the last surviving individual of the subspecies Chelonoidis nigra abingdonii, otherwise known as the Pinta Island Tortoise. Due to his status as the last of his kind, George was referred to as the ‘rarest creature in the world’. Shortly after being discovered, he was relocated to the Charles Darwin Research Station on Santa Cruz Island for his own safety.

In the hope of prolonging the existence of the subspecies, George was penned with two female giant tortoises from Isabela Island that were genetically similar enough to reproduce with the last Pinta Island Tortoise. Scientists hoped to produce offspring that would be intergraded, as it would be impossible to create pure-breeds of the Pinta subspecies due to the lack of a female Pinta tortoise.

In July 2008, at the age of 98, George was reported to have mated with one of his female companions. Thirteen eggs were produced that summer, offering hope for the conservation of the Pinta Island Tortoise. However, by November, the Charles Darwin Foundation stated that 80% of the eggs were believed to be inviable. By the following month, the remaining eggs had failed to hatch and x-rays showed they were inviable.

On July 23rd, 2009, precisely a year after George’s first mating attempt, a second clutch of five more eggs was found, providing another opportunity for the continuation of George’s species. The Galapagos National Park described the eggs as being in perfect condition and prospects for George’s potential offspring looked positive. However, when the eggs were moved to an incubator on 16th December, it was revealed that the incubation period had ended meaning the eggs were inviable.

By 2011, successive reproduction efforts were unsuccessful, leading to the park removing the two female tortoises from George’s enclosure. With mating efforts having proved ineffective, it was accepted that George was to be the very last Pinta Island tortoise, and with his death, the species would go extinct.

On June 24th, 2012, Lonesome George was announced dead by the caretaker of the Galapagos National Park and the rarest creature in the world went extinct.

 

 

admin by — September 27, 2019 in Travel
The Importance of Silicone in the Aerospace Industry

Silicone seals, gaskets and hoses may seem humble things, and often taken for granted, but without them, a lot of groundbreaking technology would be impossible. With better resistance to stress, heat, and oxidation than rubber, silicone products help industries like automotive and aerospace push ever further beyond their previous limitations.

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Strong Market Growth Predicted

A market trends analysis from Grand View Research published in January 2019 predicts strong growth in aircraft and aerospatial industries over the next decade.

Global aerospace parts manufacturing was an 849-billion-dollar-market in 2017 and is expected to continue to grow at around 3.8% until 2025. New generations of lightweight and more fuel-efficient aircraft will drive most of the growth and depend on materials with better temperature tolerance, like silicone, PTFE, FFKM, titanium aluminide, and aluminum lithium. Elastomers like silicones and FFKM readily tolerate temperature extremes between -55 °C and +300 °C.

Another report from the same source predicts similar growth in the silicone market over that period. Globally it was valued at $14.17 billion in 2018 and is expected to grow at 4.5% per annum up to 2025. This figure includes increased use of silicone as an oil additive, as an insulator and sealant for electronic components, and for more familiar roles such as silicone hose and gaskets. Various silicone hose products are available from suppliers such as https://www.goodflexrubber.com/pages/silicone-hose-manufacture.

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New Aircraft

The projected growth is tempting for new companies to enter the aerospace market. American start-up Hermeus, based in Atlanta Georgia, proposes building a commercial airliner capable of reaching Mach 5 – that’s around 3800mph. By comparison, Concorde had a cruise speed of just over Mach 2 (about 1330 mph), and a conventional liner usually flies at just 600mph or lower. If the liner is built, it will mean a flight from New York to London will take about the same time as a train journey from Leicester.

Hermeus intends to use combined-cycle turbine engines. Elastomers play a crucial role in these engines, as well as in the latest hydraulic systems, gearboxes, and airframes, by allowing the aircraft to handle the harsher temperatures generated by more powerful engines. They are also more chemically resistant to the oils used to lubricate turbine engines and hydraulics. The greater resistance of silicone and other new elastomers to deformation under pressure also helps minimize expensive maintenance regimes.

admin by — July 3, 2019 in General
Reduce your risk of football injuries with these exercises

According to a recent study, the most common football injuries sustained during training, are the hamstring, quadriceps, calf and lumbar disc injuries. However, doing just three things can reduce your likelihood of landing all these injuries.

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This is welcome news, as over 80% of players pick up at least one injury per season and this injury will be enough to make them miss at least two games. But these three things are self-explanatory. Players need to ensure, they get enough sleep, get the proper nutrition and engage in mobility drills. They should also wear the appropriate kit such as Nike Football Kits which they can find at places like www.kitking.co.uk/brand/nike

But what kind of drills are the best?

Prehab before rehab

Prehab has become somewhat of a buzzword in football and while it does sound a little gimmicky, studies show it really works. Prehabilitation is a form of strength training for the entire body, regardless of the sport being played. It aims to prevent injuries before they occur and can also increase performance on the field.

Hindu press up

One of the most talked about prehab drills is the Hindu press up. With your feet slightly wider apart than your shoulders, you lean forward to create an inverted ‘V’ shape. Now keep your legs straight and bend your arms until your chin hovers above the floor. Then arch your back, which will shift you forward and lead you to look up towards the ceiling. Complete the move by raising your hips again to make the inverted ‘V’ position again.

Taking inspiration from yoga, this flow can be repeated 10 or 20 times and will work muscles from head to toe with very little risk of injury.

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Ankle alphabet training

This exercise is all about creating a variety of movements with a goal, i.e. completing the alphabet. To begin, stretch out your legs in front of you, lift one leg off the ground and use your pointed toes to draw the letters of the alphabet. Patience and practice are important here. Aim for accuracy to get the most out of this flow.

However, it’s important to remember, that no exercise is an absolute guarantee against injury but you can make it less likely with drills and prehab work.

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admin by — July 2, 2019 in sport
All about the FA’s People’s Cup

You no longer have to be a professional international player to take part in an FA tournament. The FA People’s Cup is a five-a-side competition that gives everyone a chance to get in on the action, regardless of age or ability. Organized by the FA, BBC’s “Get Inspired” campaign and small-pitch football clubs, any non-professional player can join in, whether they’re part of a regular five-a-side team or just individuals who enjoy playing occasionally. This has helped to inspire many people to take up the sport as well as encourage people to take the sport further.

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Record numbers

With 16 categories for male and female players ranging from under-14 to veterans, including disability and walking categories, the tournament, which only just completed its third edition in 2017, saw a record number of 45,000 players from 6,000 teams entering. The competition usually kicks off in February, with the semifinals in March and the finals in Birmingham over the May bank holiday weekend.

How to get involved

The competition is free to enter. Go to http://www.thefa.com/competitions/the-fa-peoples-cup and register your interest for the next tournament. Each year more and more people enter their teams. You can either enter as a team captain if you already have a team together, or you can enter as an individual and be placed in a team by your local center. You’ll be asked for a team name, so have one ready that suits your team’s identity.

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Teams are also expected to provide their own football kits, which include shirts, shorts, socks, shin pads and football boots suitable for astroturf. If you’re an individual player who is joining a wild card team, the organizers will provide a bib for you to wear over your own kit. It’s worth looking at Football Training Kits like www.kitking.co.uk/ to get all the kit and equipment you need.

Teams begin the competition in local heats, which include a group stage and a knockout stage. After that, they move on to the semifinals, which also take on a group stage and knockout stage format. The winners from the semi-final in each category then progress to the national final.

Do you have what it takes to go all the way in the FA People’s Cup? Whether you’re part of a Sunday League five-a-side team or just fancy teaming up with a few like-minded individuals to see how far you can progress, you too could be following the footballing legends as you begin your journey to victory.

admin by — June 29, 2019 in sport
The difference between flexible and metal ductwork

Ducting is used in a wide variety of situations, for heating and ventilation (HVAC) systems and for extracting fumes and dust, for example. But it comes in a number of different types, most notably flexible ducting and rigid, metal ducting.

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The essential difference between these is obvious, but there are other considerations too which we need to look at in more detail.

Flexible Ducting

A flexible duct can be made of a number of different materials. These include PVC, rubber, stainless steel, galvanized steel, and coated polyester fabric. Its advantages are that it’s easy to handle and to attach to plant or to more rigid ducting and this can be done using metal band clamps or zip ties. This means it’s easier and faster to install, especially in existing structures.

The material you choose for your ducting will depend on the environment as in extreme conditions some will stand up better than others. A galvanized spiral duct from a supplier like https://www.dustspares.co.uk/ductwork-parts/galvanised-steel-spiral-duct.html, for example, will be more resistant to heat and cooling. You also need to think about factors like abrasion and exposure to the elements.

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With flexible ducting, it’s important to plan the installation to avoid sharp curves and kinks as well as long unsupported runs. Joints need to be supported and it’s also important to ensure that they are properly sealed. This type of ducting works best for short runs and for adding branches to existing systems.

Metal ducting

Rigid metal ducting is usually specified when it’s being installed at the building stage rather than being retrofitted to an existing structure. It requires more detailed design and measurement and careful installation to ensure that it does its job effectively.

Metal ducting is commonly used for heating and air conditioning systems and planning for it needs to take account of the level of heat and volume of air to be moved and metal ducting offers lower resistance to air flow, so the system is likely to be more efficient overall –https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/air-conditioning-inspections-for-buildings.

Metal ducting is a more expensive option to install initially. However, it can deliver savings in the long run as ongoing maintenance costs are likely to be lower. The choice ultimately comes down to the size and type of system, how it’s going to be used, the location and design of the building, and of course, the budget.

admin by — June 28, 2019 in General

When it was announced that there would be a whole new set of channels coming onto the Television the country rejoiced! They would be getting the choice of 2 channels instead of just 1. Arguments about what to watch were soon going to be raging in British homes as the public got the choice of this or that. Whatever the decision there had to be a decent signal receiver on the roof and the Ariel was the only answer. This is still true today in our digital world and a TV Aerial Installation Cheltenham based organization like http://steveunettaerials.co.uk/services/tv-aerials-repair-and-installation-cheltenham/ can provide the service you need.

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The BBC had been putting out programs since 1935 even when hardly anyone had a television. By 1955 the rates of ownership had gone up thanks to the televised Coronation of Elizbeth II, cheaper imports and the chance to rent rather than buy. After 20 years of monopoly the Government thought it would be a good idea to force the complacent BBC into trying a bit harder by introducing free to view competition in the shape of Independent Television or ITV, although you still had to pay for a TV license so, in effect, you paid twice if you bought something advertised on TV. The BBC was determined to scupper the opening night so and they decided the only way they could do that was by killing off poor Grace Archer in a Barn fire, the effect of which Ambridge is still trying to recover from today.

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The idea behind ITV is that it would provide Regional programming. Lots of different companies sprang up and put in tenders to control the output and produce and area programs. They would make and by programs put out by their fellow independent channels and then act like the BBC did not exist. For there part, the BBC did the same.

One thing that came out of ITV was a sense that they needed to identify themselves. All the BBC needed to do was have a man in a Dinnerjack say in the plummy voice “This is the BBC…” and you knew what you were watching. ITV came up with lots of different ones. Some, like Anglia Television, featured an Airfix model of a Knight on a turntable and the words Anglia on the flag. London Weekend Television had examples of the London skyline reflected in the Thames. Central just had a big white circle. All of them had a short burst of music and depending on what came on you were able to gauge the quality of the program.

Whatever the output ITV was here to stay.

admin by — June 27, 2019 in Entertainment
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