Bar & Kitchen Sep/Oct 2023

Serving

Artworker–Paul Hibbard Content Director–Justine Ragany

CEO–Simon Chappell

Contributors–Jim

For Unitas Wholesale Aoife Kenny 01302 249 909 unitaswholesale.co.uk hello@barandkitchenmagazine.com

Social: @barkitchenmag

As we move into the autumn months, there is a lot to look forward to. Kicking off in September is the Rugby World Cup which presents a brilliant opportunity to welcome new and old customers to your venue. Find ideas on how to capitalise on the seven-week tournament on our website – barandkitchenmagazine.com.

The falling leaves and colder temperatures bring exciting events in Halloween, Bonfire Night and Diwali. On page 44 we’ve put together nine fresh ideas for attracting the crowds in – be that spooky parties, spiced cider or kids’ craft sessions.

And, of course, Christmas is now creeping up on the horizon! Make sure you’re prepped early to make the most of the festivities. Turn to page 19 to find our Christmas special. It’s packed full of articles on everything from putting together a profitable menu to online booking advice; to what drinks you should stock and plenty of recipe ideas for your dinner and party menus.

Best of luck for the autumn,

Katie Hinchliffe Trading Controller

“Many customers have dietary requirements now. Be clever with your ingredients to ensure everyone can enjoy the same menu. Using Flora Plant Double is a great way to offer a plant-based dessert that appeals to everyone. Simply swap it with dairy cream in your recipes – it can be whipped, poured, heated, or set”

Mark Rigby, Culinary Sales Development Manager, Violife Professional

“We tend to reduce our staffing through the autumn so it’s always best to plan ahead for such busy times. Keep it simple, use the cheaper ingredients to get better yields and higher profit margins without compromising the final dish”

Ryan Bolt, Executive Chef at The Bell Inn, Carlton Colville

In good company

What advice can you give to venues for the events season ahead?

“Gravy, stuffing, and Yorkshire puddings are beloved elements of Christmas dinner, and our brands are renowned for their quality and reliability in delivering delicious results. By incorporating Ambrosia, Bisto, McDougall’s and Paxo into your recipes, you can save valuable time in the kitchen and give customers that powerful feeling of nostalgia”

Sarah Robb, Foodservice Marketing Manager, Premier Foods Foodservice

“Christmas is the biggest seasonal moment of the year and consumers will reach for their favourite snack brands first. Make sure to stock up on bestsellers and don’t forget to add a little premium sparkle to your range as people seek out something a little different.

Sensations Thai Sweet Chilli is an absolute favourite at this time of year!”

Ian Williams, Unitas Account Controller, PepsiCo

Why

By registering on our site, you’ll get exclusive access to useful tools that will save you time – from a cost-toprofit calculator to a menu planner. The site has more than 600 delicious food and

Are you ready?

Max out your margins with these easy win events this autumn. Expect things to get busy

08 SEP- 28 Oct

Rugby World Cup

Add ooh là là to your figures with some French flair as the world’s top 20 kick off their quest for the crown in Paris. Ireland’s presence usually guarantees the Guinness flows but Portugal’s presence puts piri piri chicken on the team sheet. Match beers and food with nations or just think French. See our website for winning tips.

start here

29 sep

Macmillan Coffee Morning

Macmillan offers emotional, practical, and financial support to around 2.4 million patients and their families dealing with cancer every year and a slice of the funding comes from coffee and cake. Promote your venue as a location for coffee mornings in September and October to raise the profile further, boost your Corporate Social Responsibility and most importantly, help people in your local community. FOR ADVICE ON SETTING UP AN EVENT, SCAN THE QR CODE.

02 OCT- 08 OCT National Curry Week

Don’t let the hottest food week of the year pass you by. Make the most of the nation’s favourite dish with money-off deals for larger groups and suggested drink pairings. Cobra is amazing with curry and has a great new look. It’s also a good chance to showcase your chef’s specials, so use the week to tempt your regulars to try dishes from around the whole southern Asian region. The new flavours might become their new favourite.

Bonfire Night

GET BANG FOR YOUR BUCK AS THIS YEAR’S BONFIRE NIGHT IS A WEEKENDER. THINK HEARTY FOOD SUCH AS SAUSAGE AND BEAN CASSEROLE, PUMPKIN-SPICED BROWNIES, AND MULLED WINE WITH A DASH OF SLOE GIN. GO FOR COSY, SAFE AND COOL BY BRINGING THE PARTY INDOORS WITH A VIDEO LOOP OF FIREWORKS ONTO A COCKTAIL WALL PROMOTING GUY FAWKES-INSPIRED TIPPLES. SEE PAGE 44 FOR MORE IDEAS.

VEGAN MONTH

With customers increasingly seeking alternatives to meat and dairy options, now’s the time to embrace vegan dining. If your food’s good and you’re serious, it will sell. Flavour and texture are everything if you’re attracting meat eaters, so use the month to experiment with plant-based dishes – then keep the ones that work. Tasting menus are a great option too.

31 OCT

Halloween

GIVE YOUR PLACE A MONSTROUS MAKEOVER. THEME UP THE NAMES OF YOUR REGULAR PLATES, CREATE THEATRE WITH TOMATO SAUCE AND LIQUORICE, CONSIDER TRICK OR TREAT COMBOS OF MAINS, DESSERTS AND WITCHES’ BREW COCKTAILS. MAYBE OFFER A FREE PUD FOR THE SCARIEST-DRESSED LITTLE DEVIL IN THE PARTY. TURN TO PAGE 44 FOR MORE SPOOKY TIPS.

12

Diwali

The Hindu Festival of Lights means big flavours, so add samosas, pakora, aloo bonda (potato fritters in a ball) and paneer tikka to a street food menu. Drive your drink sales with easy-to-make masala peanuts, raise awareness about the festival’s good over evil symbolism and have fun with your lighting, all followed by a sweet cup of masala chai.

Find out more on page 44.

ChristmAs

HAVE YOU STARTED PLANNING YET? IF NOT, NOW’S THE TIME. FROM TAKING THE PAIN OUT OF THE BOOKING PROCESS TO BUILDING FRESH AND EXCITING FESTIVE MENUS, WE’VE GOT YOUR COVERS COVERED FROM PAGE 19 YOU’LL FIND A FLURRY OF IDEAS FOR RECIPES WITH GOOD RETURNS, A BUFFET OF PARTY FOOD SUGGESTIONS AND A DRINKS FEATURE THAT WILL KEEP THE TILLS RINGING RIGHT INTO THE NEW YEAR.

Three exciting new cocktail mixers from Britvic

If you’re looking for a way to serve delicious and consistent cocktails with minimal effort, these mixers from Britvic are the answer! They come in three flavours – Mojito, Piña Colada and Strawberry Daiquiri – and are low calorie, vegan and taste great with or without alcohol. The Mojito has a complex mint flavour along with real lime juice for added zing. Conjure up tropical beaches with the Piña Colada – it uses real pineapple for that authentic taste. For a sophisticated classic, tempt customers with the Strawberry Daiquiri which contains strawberries and zesty lime. Just add alcohol to the mixers, garnish and serve – simple!

Schweppes adds two fresh and fruity sodas to range

The mixer market is an inspiring place to look for new drink ideas right now with the top companies releasing lines that work well on their own and with alcohol/non-alcoholic options. Have you seen Schweppes Peach Coconut Soda, Night Light Vibes, yet? It has a tropical peach flavour with subtle hints of coconut, finished with floral notes. Create a Peach Opal Fizz cocktail by mixing vodka, peach purée and the new soda. The second addition from Schweppes is its Melon and Watermelon Soda, Monsoon Dance. Look out for the fresh, fruity flavour and dry, crisp finish. The new sodas join Schweppes’ original Soda and Pink Soda variants and come in 200ml glass bottles. variants

INDUSTRY

What’s new?

Look out for these exciting products and key news stories in Out of Home

Change of rule on takeaway alcohol sales

During the covid pandemic, venues were allowed to sell takeaway alcohol to customers without the previously necessary off-site licences. From 30 September, this will no longer be permitted. If you’d like to continue offering this, you’ll need to apply for permission. Contact your local council to find out more.

Quick – September deadline for scholarship scheme

If you’re aged 22-35, live in London or can travel to London, and are interested in furthering your career in hospitality, don’t miss the Jupiter Restaurant Scholarship. It’s a nine-month paid programme where you’ll receive top level training in leading restaurants and a boost to your career. Read more and apply here by 15 September.

Well-loved Barratt sweet flavours now in a delicious fizzy drink

Get your autumn sales off to a sparkling start with Barratt’s new soft drinks exclusive launch into the wholesale channel with Unitas Wholesale. The recognisable flavours of Fruit Salad, Wham, Dip Dab and Flump are now available in a thirst-quenching soft drinks format. The brand-new range recreates the well-loved flavours of some of Barratt’s most iconic sweets and will be a favourite with all age groups. The range also has no artificial colours or flavours and less than 5g sugar per drink making them a great option for takeaway customers. Order the full range today from your local Unitas Wholesale Member Depot.

good, Better, best

3recipes 3 ways

Whatever your budget and venue, here are three versatile dishes that can be tweaked to suit your customers and your business

GOOD +

Butternut Squash, Bacon and Onion Soup

Serves: 10 Skill rating: EASY

Ingredients

• 20ml olive oil

• 150g onion, diced

• 150g smoked rindless streaky bacon, diced

• 150g carrots, diced

• 150g celeriac, peeled and diced

• 150g butternut squash, peeled and diced

• 150g potatoes, peeled and diced

• 35g Bisto Vegetable Bouillon Paste

• 2g cracked black pepper

Method

1. Melt the olive oil in a deep casserole pan, add the onions and bacon and cook for 3-4 mins.

2. Add the carrots and celeriac and continue cooking for a further 4 mins.

3. Add the squash, potato and 2l water, bring to the boil, stir well and reduce to a simmer. Cover and cook for around 30 mins until all the vegetables are soft, then add the Bisto Vegetable Bouillon Paste and stir until dissolved.

4. Purée the soup in a blender, add pepper to taste and then reheat thoroughly and serve.

BETTER ++

BEST +++

pair with Los Gansos Viognier. The sweetness complements the fleshy squash

Add nutrition: if you’re catering in care homes or hospitals, fortify this soup by adding 125g of Marvel Milk Powder with the bouillon.

Max garnish: go all out on the look by topping with fried bacon strips, garlic croutons and a drizzle of pesto mixed with olive oil.

pair with Mateus for a light, fresh and slightly sparkling pairing. The acidity works well with the curry

MAIN

GOOD +

Vegan Tikka Masala

Serves: 10 Skill rating: EASY

Ingredients

• 20ml vegetable oil

• 25g vegan butter

• 150g onions, roughly chopped

• 120g tikka masala paste

• 120g red peppers, diced into large cubes

• 800g Maggi Rich & Rustic Tomato Sauce

• 1.2kg Garden Gourmet Vegan Fillet Pieces

• 200g mangetout, shredded

• 300g Tenderstem broccoli, prepped and blanched

• 20g mango chutney

• 150ml vegan yogurt

• 80ml vegan cream

• 10g coriander leaves, chopped

• 600g wholemeal rice, steamed

VEGAN!

Add to your menu for National Curry Week, 2-8 October

Method

1. Heat the oil and butter in a large pan on a moderate heat, add the onions and cook for 15-20 mins until soft.

2. Add the tikka masala paste and red peppers, cook for 5 mins.

3. Add the Maggi Rich & Rustic Tomato Sauce, rinse the can with water and add the Garden Gourmet Vegan Fillet Pieces, mangetout and blanched Tenderstem broccoli. Simmer for 5 mins.

4. To finish the curry, add the mango chutney, yogurt and cream. Warm thoroughly, scatter with the coriander and serve with the steamed wholemeal rice.

BETTER ++

BEST +++

Side salad: serve a tomato and red onion salad on the side for a refreshing, crunchy addition. Mix together chopped fresh tomatoes, thinly sliced red onions, chopped fresh coriander and salt.

Go all out: cook up some spicy cauliflower as an extra. Blanch florets then fry in a pan with oil, chilli powder, ground cumin and turmeric and curry powder. Top with fresh coriander.

BETTER ++

Coconut and Lime Cheesecake

Serves: 12 Skill rating: MEDIUM

Ingredients

• 250g ginger biscuits

• 125g butter, melted

• 400ml coconut milk

• 8g lime zest

• 120g Carte D’Or

Panna Cotta

• 625g cream cheese

Method

1. Whizz the ginger biscuits into a fine crumb then stir in the melted butter.

2. Press the mix firmly into a

springform tin, then place in the fridge until set.

3. Place the coconut milk and lime zest in a pan and bring to the boil.

4. Remove from the heat and whisk in the Carte D’Or Panna Cotta mix and allow to dissolve.

5. Pour the mix into a bowl then whisk in the cream cheese until smooth.

6. Pour onto the prepared biscuit base and refrigerate to set.

76% of UK consumers reported eating CHEESECAKE recently WHICH MAKES IT A MUST FOR YOUR MENUS!

Source: Mintel, 2021

pair with Robinsons

Pressed Pear & Elderflower Cordial for a sophisticated alternative to wine

GOOD +

BEST +++

Simpler biscuits: instead of ginger biscuits, go for a plainer base of digestives – they are better value and might appeal more to older customers or care home residents.

Top topping: add attractive decorations (see image above). Toast coconut flakes or buy ready-made then add to the set cheesecake. You could also scatter over lime zest.

Bitter bite

Can your food and drinks menus benefi t from bitter fl avours?

An acquired taste for many, humans are programmed to be suspicious of bitter tastes as some toxic substances carry that flavour (such as poisonous plants). But we’ve come round to it…

It offers complexity to food and drinks, helping to counteract sweetness and balance richness. Many drinks have bitter notes such as beer and gin and tonic (quinine in tonic water is naturally very bitter) but we have grown to love them!

Amaro liqueur

In food, green vegetables such as kale and sprouts, rocket and the distinctive radicchio all give a bitter bite.

Fantastic in cocktails, this citrus fruit gives a refreshing flavour with a bitter tang. Try a Paloma – tequila, lime juice, pink grapefruit juice, soda and agave syrup. Grapefruit can also be added to salads – an avocado salad would pair well with the bittersweet fruit.

Made famous in the UK by the popular spritz, amaro liqueurs are Italian herbal liqueurs that tend to have a bittersweet flavour, such as Campari and Aperol. Serve simply with soda and ice, swap vermouth for amaro in a Negroni or add a dash to beer with a wedge of lime!

radicchio all give a bitter bite.

Coffee

Not just a drink, coffee adds something special to many desserts – think tiramisu, ice cream, and coffee and walnut cake. Experiment with different coffee strengths and brands to get the bitter balance just right. And don’t forget the customer favourite, Espresso Martini.

Chocolate

It’s seen as a sweet ingredient but highpercentage cocoa solids chocolate has a delicious bitterness. Look for chocolate with minimum 70% cocoa solids to get a rich chocolate taste. Add a few squares to savoury dishes too to balance richness and add just a little sweetness.

Grapefruit

Chilli Con Carne

Serves: 4 Skill rating: EASY

Ingredients

• 500g lean steak mince

• black pepper

• 100g chorizo, 1cm cubes

• 2 onions, very finely diced

• 3 cloves garlic, crushed

• 1 green pepper, finely diced

• 1 tsp freshly ground cumin

• 1 stick cinnamon

• 1 bay leaf

• 1 tsp chilli powder (or more to taste)

• 1 tsp dried oregano

• 800g can chopped tomatoes

• 400g can red kidney beans

• 1 tbsp tomato purée

• 200ml beef stock

• 3 tbsp Kikkoman Soy Sauce

• 1 tsp sugar

heat it up!

Perfect for Bonfire Night with potatoes or rice

• 20g 70% dark chocolate, grated

Method

1. Season the mince with a twist of black pepper then brown in batches in a hot pan and set aside.

2. Fry the chorizo then add the onion, garlic and green pepper and cook for a further 3-4 mins.

3. Add the cumin, cinnamon, bay, chilli and oregano, cook for 1-2 mins. Return the mince to the pan and add the tomatoes, beans, purée and stock. Cover and cook over a low-med heat for at least 1 hour.

4. Towards the end of the cooking time, add the Kikkoman Soy Sauce then add the sugar and chocolate.

Pomelo Progression Fizz

Serves: 1 Skill rating: EASY

Ingredients

• 50ml Grey Goose Vodka

• 75ml fresh orange juice

• 75ml San Pellegrino Grapefruit Soda

• Pink grapefruit slices, to garnish

Method

1. Build the first three ingredients in a highball glass with cubed ice.

2. Garnish with pink grapefruit slices.

Vegan Tiramisu

Serves: 8 Skill rating: MEDIUM

Ingredients

• 500g Macphie Plant-based Cream Alternative

• 250g mascarpone or a vegan alternative

• 75ml marsala

• 100g caster sugar

• 300ml strong coffee

• 175g sponge fingers

• 25g vegan dark chocolate

• 2 tsp cocoa powder

Method

1. Put the Macphie Plant-based Cream Alternative, vegan mascarpone, marsala and caster sugar in a large bowl. Whisk until combined with a thick whipped cream consistency.

2. Pour the coffee into a shallow dish. Dip in a few of the sponge fingers at a time, turning for a few seconds until they are soaked, but not soggy. Layer in a terrine dish until you’ve used half, then spread over half of the creamy mixture.

3. Using the coarse side of the grater, grate over most of the chocolate.

4. Then repeat the layers (use up all the coffee), finishing with the creamy layer.

5. Freeze the terrine dish.

6. To serve, remove from the mould, dust with the cocoa and grate the remainder of the chocolate over the top.

Are booking systems worth it? You decide...

How much time do you spend on the phone or jotting down bookings on a scrap of paper? And how many times do you lose the paper (and the booking)? If the answer is ‘too often’ or ‘don’t know’, it’s time to let technology take the strain. Online booking can be a game-changer for busy venues.

Lorna Wilcox, from AccessCollins, and Claire Anderson, Head of Sales at ResDiary, share their tips on how to hire the front-of-house best assistant.

Do I need an online booking system?

“If you’re spending hours going through customer enquiry emails,” says Lorna, “it’s likely that they’ll have booked elsewhere by the time you reach the bottom of the list. So it’s the things you’re missing that make automated booking systems a no-brainer.”

Claire agrees: “The right system can help to automate the process of assigning bookings to tables and adjusting your seating plan by joining tables for larger parties and spread the load of bookings at busy times.”

ResDiary helps to automate many parts of the booking process – like taking booking details, special requests, allocating tables,

deposits, and sending reminders. And the AccessCollins tiered system handles venues from national chains to small café bars, and adds them to a nightlife DesignMyNight site, where groups can build their perfect evening.

What are the benefits?

“We know diners have moved online to research and book restaurants – 86% according to our own findings,” says Claire. “They expect the freedom to book whenever and wherever they want, so if you’re still relying on phone bookings, you’re probably missing out.”

ResDiary’s booking widget is fully integrated with other major booking channels and means you can capture bookings 24/7. Some systems offer real-time updates and will match seating capacity with party sizes, time slots and even staff levels. Availability and reservation slots are automatically adjusted in order to prevent overbooking.

Claire explains: “The real value of any business system should be measured against ROI. We’ve created a comprehensive analytics suite, so you can make objective decisions on your business strategy.”

Analytics give insights into trends while customer text confirmations and reminders also form part of many packages.

“Considering an automated booking system shouldn’t be based on what you know, but it’s what you don’t know that should make up your mind”

Lorna Wilcox, from AccessCollins

Unexpected bonuses

Grow your customer base Some systems will list you on online platforms where customers search for dining options, broadening your audience.

Collect data and analysis

Most systems curate valuable customer data which will allow you to market your venue through targeted promotions.

Lorna adds: “Streamlining the booking process removes pinch points in the busiest times and data collection means better future marketing to entice your customers back.”

Wow! That was fantastic ‘Excellent’ and ‘very good’ customer reviews and feedback are key to build trust. The best systems coax people to comment.

Should you let customers book for drinks only in busy spells?

Offering a reservation option can be good, but it’s best to have a system that allows for a hybrid policy to cater for spontaneous walk-ups too. Some bar and pub customers prefer ‘just dropping in’, so it’s worth experimenting based on ebbs and flows.

• table availability tracking

• customer communications and

It’s good to talk

Some systems boost communication with customers… a simple ‘thank you for booking’ or mention of a special offer on the day they’re visiting.

There’s always a risk of no-shows or cancellations, so have a clear policy. Choose a system that takes deposits to secure a table. Above all, balance your bookings and walk-ins – over-reliance on either could be bad news.

Are the main concerns about booking systems justified?

Avoid the chaos

Look for a platform that eases the pain of pre-ordered meals and payments with end-to-end booking, payment and menu-ordering system.

Fear of tech change, software glitches and rare system downtime are concerns, so choose a good support team to handle such occurrences quickly. Once your team is trained, the positives outweigh the negatives. Packages vary depending on business needs, as do pricing plans. It’s in the best interest of the provider to include training and support, so check that yours does.

What’s available?

Look for companies that offer cloud-based software platforms, mobile apps and integrated website plugins that enhance the booking process, including:

• online reservation management

• integration with your other restaurant management tools.

“Which one is right depends on the nature and size of your business but we always help venue managers to create a personalised system,” says Lorna.

What should you look out for?

“One concern for any business is cost,” says Claire, “especially where paying variable costs like commissions are concerned.”

Lorna agrees: “Be wary of firms that charge fees and commission for getting repeat customers to you, rather than new ones. Providers that charge set monthly rates allow you to plan ahead.”

Assess the pricing and potential hidden transaction, support and software integration fees. Understanding cost and value is crucial to see if the system fits your needs – and budget.

Get these in place and you will have a smooth process, perfect for your customers.

MENU to your MAGIC Add

to attract more customers

and maximise profi t

The plan

Decide what you’re going to put on for customers this Christmas. Proper dinner throughout December? Office parties? Full-on Christmas Day spread? Consider your staffing and previous years’ bookings. Is it worth marketing parties if you only had a couple booked in last year, for example? You don’t need to offer everything –do less but do it really well.

Cater for all

Remember allergies and catering for different diets. Gluten-free, veggie and vegan options are essential. Make these customers feel welcome by clearly signposting the dishes and make sure you mention it on social media. Don’t forget kids – attract the lucrative family market with half portions of a roast and other child-friendly dishes.

Menu review

Look at last year’s menu. What sold well and what didn’t? With today’s prices, what is still profitable to make? What tweaks could you make to boost margins? Also, look to add a Christmas twist to meals you know your customers have loved this year – pigs in blankets mac and cheese anyone?

Teamwork

Use your front of house and back of house teams – for research and for promotion. Ask their opinion on the first draft of your Christmas menus. What do they think customers will expect from your venue this Christmas? What were their pain points last year? And make sure they know what the higher profit menu items are, so they can help with upselling.

Tempting offers

What deals can you give? For party bookings, throw in a Christmas hat and cracker for each person. Promote early bird bookings by giving away some fizz or a (lower-value) cocktail if they book before a certain date. “Set menus will have a better perceived value among consumers,” says James Birch, Development Chef at Unilever, “especially when dining in groups. They’re also easier to manage during a busy service in the kitchen!”

And don’t forgeT

Use one base gravy that covers all dietary requirements but stir flavourings into each to make them special.

Recommend your best margin drinks to go with the mains – soft and alcoholic – and give a small discount when customers order them as a pair.

Add value for families – print out festive colouring sheets and include a few crayons with every child’s meal booked in advance.

Order matters

Be strategic when creating your Christmas menu. James explains: “Studies have found that a guest’s attention is drawn to the first two and last two dishes within each section of the menu. Make sure your best and most profitable dishes are the ones that get these prime spots.”

James Birch, Development Chef, Unilever

“Studies have found that customers are willing to pay significantly more for dishes with value-added menu descriptors. For example, Norfolk bronze turkey or locally sourced vegetables. Avoid pricing ending in .99 as it gives the perception of lower quality”

Christmas

cheers

The festive season is creeping up and with 78% of consumers visiting an on-trade venue over the Christmas period in 2022, it’s an occasion you need to be ready for. We’ve looked at the data and spoken to the top on-trade suppliers to fi nd out what you need to stock on your bar this year

Sources: CGA OPM Data P13 2022: 31/12/2022, CGA Christmas Report 2022, July 2021 & CGA Distillr-August 2021, CGA BrandTrack Oct 2022, Kantar Usage panel total IH & CO 4 w/e 25th Dec 2022, Kellogg Sales Out data L13we to 4th May 2023, OPUS June 2023, Brandtrack April 2023.

OLD MOUT

41% of cider drinkers now choose flavoured cider. If the female market is a big part of your business, flavoured cider is key – women make up 62% of the premium line consumers. The Old Mout range is impressive –for a guaranteed seller, go for the Berries & Cherries.

MADRÍ

It’s the award-winning lager from Madrid (but brewed in the UK) with a distinctive look. Madrí achieved the highestvalue sales of any alcohol brand in its first year. So, if you don’t have it on your bar, customers will likely wonder why not!

SNACKS

CRUZCAMPO

Newly available on draught in the UK, Cruzcampo will be familiar to many customers as it’s the number one draught brand in Spain. It offers customers a premium experience at a more accessible price point which makes it ideal for Christmas.

BIRRA MORETTI

For a recognisable premium lager you can rely on, Birra Moretti is perfect. One in three consumers say they would pick it if available which is more than any other brand. Its special blend of high quality hops creates a smooth, full bodied beer.

beer & cider

CORONA CERO

With the International Wines and Spirits Record (IWSR) forecasting the global no/low alcohol category total volume to grow by 31% by 2024, non-alcoholic beer is essential. Corona Cero is a relatively new line to the market so should catch customers’ attention. Over Christmas 2022, lager was in the top three performers in bars and wet-led pubs.. Look at what your customers are enjoying at the moment and the favourites from last Christmas.

LEVEL HEAD

For your festive customers who are looking to try something a little different, this session IPA from Greene King hits the spot. Tell customers to look out for the hoppy aroma and tropical and grapefruit notes. Brewed in Suffolk, it’s a nice homegrown pick.

TYRELLS

A brilliant premium crisp that has won 91 Great Taste Awards. Lightly Sea Salted is a classic but also look at Sea Salt & Cider Vinegar (great with Sauvignon Blanc) and Mature Cheddar & Chive (recommend with a white burgundy).

WALKERS

They’re the nation’s number one crisp brand so can’t be missed! Look at which flavours sell well for you – cater for families with products such as Quavers, and add premium sparkle with Sensations Thai Sweet Chilli.

PRINGLES

The small 40g Pringles packs have seen big growth in Out of Home in the last year – 40% versus last year. If you don’t stock them yet, you should! Our favourites are Sour Cream & Chive and Texas BBQ Sauce.

CASILLERO RESERVA ESPECIAL SAUVIGNON BLANC

Whether you’re looking for something to pair with smoked salmon, or just want to impress a Sauvignon drinker, this ticks all the boxes! For customers who are happy to pay just a little more at Christmas, this fresh Chilean white is ideal. It’s packed with citrus and tropical flavours.

fact

From 2022 festive data, we can see that still wine is more popular for food-led occasions while sparkling is mostly consumed in restaurants, hotels and pubs with a food focus. Red wine had the biggest increase in popularity compared to Christmas 2021. Get some bestsellers on your list and also add new picks for adventurous customers. Balance your offering with a few premium lines and value options to cater for all.

WINE AND SPIRITS

TRIBU MALBEC

It’s the nation’s favourite red grape variety for a reason! This bottle is a great crowd pleaser that will keep even the pickiest customer happy. The Tribu is medium bodied with red fruit and peppery undertones. If serving with food, it’s best paired with grilled red meat.

JACK DANIEL’S TENNESSEE FIRE

With strong whiskey sales at Christmas 2022, we’d recommend reviewing your range. As well as the classics, consider some other lines that have a festive feel such as this cinnamon-spiced version from Jack Daniel’s. They also do a honey whiskey, which is worth a look.

Spirits are big sellers at Christmas so get your selection right. In the four weeks before Christmas 2022, spirit sales rose by 28.5% versus the rest of the year. The top performers with the biggest sales uplift last year were cream liqueurs, golden and dark rums and whiskies. Cream liqueurs are often drunk after a meal so encourage your team to ask customers if they’d like one, or a whisky on the rocks.

BACARDÍ CARTA ORO

A good choice of rums is essential for Christmas. They lend themselves well to a whole host of cocktails as well as simpler serves with coke. This dark rum from Bacardí has vanilla, caramel, toasted almond and sweet banana notes – delicious!

White Christmas Mojito

Serves: 1 Skill rating: EASY

Ingredients

• 40ml premium rum or non-alcoholic rum

• 20ml lime juice

• 15ml sugar syrup

• 15ml coconut milk

• 8 mint leaves, plus a sprig to garnish

• London Essence Soda Water, to top up

Method

Fill a shaker with ice and add the rum, lime, sugar syrup and coconut milk. Shake well. In a highball glass, muddle the mint leaves. Add plenty of ice then strain the liquid into the glass and gently stir. Garnish with a mint sprig.

Jingle Jack Rocks

Serves: 1 Skill rating: EASY

Ingredients

• 25ml Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey

• 25ml amaretto

• 125ml cherry cola

• Candy cane, to garnish

Method

Put some ice cubes in a highball glass. Add each ingredient and gently stir. Then garnish with the candy cane.

Serves: 1 Skill rating: EASY

Ingredients

• 25ml Teisseire Cinnamon

• 25ml Teisseire Vanilla

• 200ml Britvic Ginger Ale

• Candied ginger and lime wedge, to garnish

Method

Add the first three ingredients to a collins or highball glass with ice. Gently stir. Garnish.

Gingerbread Tonic mocktail

Christmas Cake Espresso

Serves: 1 Skill rating: EASY

Ingredients

• 50ml Warner’s Christmas Cake Gin

• 50ml espresso

• 15ml sugar syrup

• Coffee beans or grated chocolate, to garnish

Method

Shake all the ingredients vigorously with lots of ice (use cold espresso). Fine strain into a martini glass and garnish with grated chocolate or coffee beans.

LONDON ESSENCE ROASTED PINEAPPLE SODA

Treat the drivers or teetotallers with this premium soda. Serve it as is with a lime twist or basil sprig. It’s also fantastic in mocktails and cocktails.

try this Roast Pineapple Spritz

RIBENA SPARKLING

Christmas is a big family occasion so expect lots of kids through your doors. Make them feel like they’re having a special drink just like the adults by serving blackcurrantpacked Ribena Sparkling in a glass with a fruit decoration and patterned paper straw.

SOFT DRINKS

SCHWEPPES MONSOON DANCE

This new melon and watermelon soda is sure to grab customers’ attention. Vermouth and gin make perfect partners to the refreshing drink. Make a Watermelon Rouge Twist cocktail with gin, Campari, the soda and rosemary. Create your free bar menu here from Coca-Cola.

SWEETS

A commonly missed opportunity is the idea of sweets within ontrade, forming part of cocktails or just a perfect pick me up. They’re a great alternative to the traditional crisps and snacks offering and are also more appealing to a wider audience.

Swizzels Drumstick Squashies are a perfect pick for you to start with. Make sure they’re visible at the front of the bar so

GO HOT

Don’t just concentrate on your cold drinks. The festive period calls for a little warmth. The 2022 Christmas Report from on-trade data experts CGA showed that the top festive alcoholic drinks customers are looking for are mulled wine, followed by liqueur hot cocktails and coffees, then mulled cider. Both cider and wine saw growth on the previous year. You can pick up a soup kettle for a reasonable price, then choose a pre-made mulled spice mix for ease.

SPARKLE

It wouldn’t be Christmas without a glass of fizz –make sure you’re stocked up. For Christmas parties, kick off the night with a glass. You could throw it in for free if it’s a large group and they book in early. Consider offering deals on bottles on certain nights that tend to be a bit quieter. You can pick up Santa Loretta Prosecco from your local wholesaler – it’s great value and a real crowd-pleaser.

It fizz Christmas glass. You could throw it in free group

3 TOP TIPS TO OPTIMISE YOUR BAR

SCAN HERE

FREE MENU

recipes 3 ways Festive

With adaptations for different skill levels, here’s some recipe inspiration for your festive menus – from traditional dinners to party food and desserts

Party food

GOOD +

Christmas

Wraps

Serves: 10 Skill rating: EASY

Ingredients

• 250ml prepared Bisto Gravy, made slightly thicker and left to cool (if serving cold)

• 100g cranberry sauce

• 10 wholemeal wraps

• 100g carrot, grated

• 100g red cabbage, shredded

• 500g cooked turkey

• 200g cooked Paxo Sage & Onion Stuffing

• 300g cooked chipolatas wrapped in bacon, sliced

Method

1. Mix the gravy with the cranberry sauce to make a gravy dressing, then spread onto the wraps.

2. Mix together the carrot and red cabbage and place a spoonful of this mix on top of the gravy dressing.

3. Top with the cooked turkey, stuffing, and bacon-wrapped chipolatas.

4. Roll up and serve.

BETTER ++

For parties: create mini versions of these with small tortilla wraps or just cut the large assembled wraps into several pieces.

BEST +++

From scratch: make your own stuffing – lemon and herb or sage, leek and onion would both work well with the other flavours.

BEST +++

Goat’s Cheese and Cranberry Bruschetta

Serves: 10 Skill rating: EASY

Ingredients

• 10 large slices of ciabatta

• 50ml Schwartz® Cranberry Sauce

• 500g rinded goat’s cheese, cut into 10 slices

• 125g rocket leaves

• 60ml olive oil

• 1 tsp Schwartz® Oregano

Method

1. Preheat oven to 190C.

2. Grill the bread on one side and place on a baking tray, toasted-side down. Spread 5ml Schwartz® Cranberry Sauce on each slice of bread and top with a piece of goat’s cheese. Bake in the oven for 5-10 mins until the cheese is just beginning to melt.

3. Dress the rocket with olive oil and Schwartz® Oregano and place a small bundle on each bruschetta. Season with salt and pepper and serve.

Turkey and Bacon

Croquettes

GOOD +

Better value: instead of ciabatta, use ready-made toasts or crackers. Grill briefly. Or serve on roasted slices of sweet potato (see photo above).

BETTER ++

Mix it up: cranberry and brie makes a great combination and the French cheese is likely to be cheaper than goat’s cheese.

CALCULATE

mains COST HERE

Wellington

‘Chicken’, Mushroom and Cranberry Wellington

Serves: 10 Skill rating: MEDIUM

Ingredients

• 100g gram flour

• 300g tinned chickpeas, keep liquid

• 1 tsp fresh tarragon, chopped

• 2 tbsp rapeseed oil

• 2 medium onions, finely chopped

• 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped

• 2 fresh rosemary sprigs, chopped

• 700g chestnut mushrooms

• 1 vegetable stock cube

• 2 packs The Vegetarian Butcher What The Cluck Chicken Chunks

• 50g dried cranberries, finely diced

• 1 orange, zest only

• 50g curly kale, sliced

• 350g vegan puff pastry

• 1 tsp Colman’s English Mustard

• 1 tsp agave syrup

Method

1. For the crepes: mix the flour and half the water from the tinned chickpeas with the tarragon, and some salt and pepper.

2. Ladle enough crepe mixture into an oiled frying pan to cover the base and cook till golden, flipping to cook the other side. Repeat until you have no batter left.

3. For the filling: in a large pan, fry the onions, garlic and rosemary with 1 tbsp oil until soft.

4. Blitz the mushrooms in a food processor to dice and add to pan with the vegetable stock cube. Cook out for 5 mins until the stock is incorporated.

5. In a processor, blend 300g of drained chickpeas and fold into mixture. Fold through The Vegetarian Butcher What The Cluck Chicken Chunks, cranberries, zest and kale.

6. To assemble: roll out the puff pastry into a large rectangle and cover with a layer of the crepes. Place the filling in a large sausage shape down the centre. Fold over the edges of the pastry and crepes to form the classic Wellington.

and sprinkle over some dried or fresh tarragon when assembling.

BEST +++

Go mini: small, individual Wellingtons can look more impressive than a slice. Cut the puff pastry into small squares, then assemble.

Place on a baking tray lined with a

7. Place on a baking tray lined with parchment. Brush the pastry with a wash of chickpea water, Colman’s English Mustard and agave syrup. Lightly score the pastry with a small knife. Chill for 30 mins.

8. Bake at 190C for 45 mins until the pastry is golden and filling is hot. Rest for 5 mins and carve into portions.

BETTER ++ GOOD + 36

Roast Dinner

Serves: 10 Skill rating: MEDIUM

Ingredients

• 300g onions, peeled and cut into quarters

• 4 fresh sage leaves

• 65g fresh breadcrumbs

• 15g unsalted butter

• 1 egg yolk

• Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg

• 1 tsp vegetable oil

• 20g MAGGI® Chicken Bouillon

• 700g chicken or turkey breasts

• 1kg new potatoes, cut in half

• 225g parsnips, sliced into long pieces

• 225g carrots, sliced into long pieces

• 20g MAGGI® Original Vegetarian Gravy

Method

1. Cook the onions in a pan of boiling water for 5 mins, then add the sage leaves and continue to boil for a further minute. Drain well and place into a food processor.

2. Add the breadcrumbs, butter, egg yolk, nutmeg and freshly ground black pepper. Blend until the mixture is just combined and resembles large breadcrumbs (do not blend to a paste).

3. Divide the mix into 10 equal amounts and roll them into balls. Place the balls on a greaseproof baking tray, ready to bake.

4. In the same bowl, add 5g MAGGI® Chicken Bouillon and the meat and tumble to coat. Lay the breasts on a lined baking tray along with the stuffing balls.

5. Parboil the new potatoes and parsnips until nearly cooked.

6. Preheat the oven to 180C. Bake the meat, stuffing, potatoes and parsnips for 20 mins, or until the meat reaches the correct temperature and the vegetables are cooked through.

7. Place the carrots in a pan of water and boil until cooked.

8. To make the gravy, heat 225ml of water in a pan. In a separate bowl mix MAGGI® Original Vegetarian Gravy with 75ml cold water to form a smooth paste.

9. Whisk the paste and 15g MAGGI® Chicken Bouillon into the boiling water and simmer for 3-4 mins.

10. Serve one chicken/turkey breast and one stuffing ball per person, with the vegetables, potatoes and gravy.

Maple Glazed Carrots

Shortcut: use a stuffing mix instead of making your own to save time. Sage and onion is easy to find and simple to make.

Upgrade: add pork sausagemeat to the stuffing mix to make the best stuffing balls ever. They take longer to cook so bake separately to the meat.

Christmas Baked Puddings

Serves: 10 Skill rating: EASY

Ingredients

Base mix:

• 1l Ambrosia RTU Custard

• 6 whole eggs

Filling for Panettone Pudding:

• 400g panettone, sliced into 2cm slices

• 1 x base mix (recipe above)

• Icing sugar to dust

Filling for Christmas Pudding:

• 800g Christmas pudding, broken into 3cm pieces

• 1 x base mix (recipe above)

• 50g apricot jam (for glaze)

• 50g crushed meringue pieces

Filling for Chocolate Brioche Pudding:

• 400g panettone, sliced into 2cm slices

• 1 x base mix (recipe above), with 100g dark chocolate, melted and added back to the mix

• Icing sugar to dust

Method

1. Whisk together the custard and eggs then pass through a sieve.

2. Place the panettone or Christmas pudding slices/pieces for each recipe into a suitable baking dish and pour over the custard mix.

3. Set the oven at 140C and allow the pudding to stand while the oven comes up to temperature.

4. Place the pudding in the oven and bake for approximately 1 hour or until a skewer comes cleanly out of the centre.

5. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.

6. Glaze or finish with icing sugar and meringue, depending on the recipe. Serve.

Vegan Chocolate Mousse

Add flavour: boost the custard mix with orange zest for the panettone puddings and mixed spice for the Christmas pudding version.

Homemade: make your own custard with fresh eggs, milk, cream and sugar. Add a little brandy and vanilla for the Christmas pudding.

Lotus Biscoff Cheezecake

Serves: 10 Skill rating: MEDIUM

Ingredients

For the cheezecake:

• 400g Violife Creamy

• 130g golden caster sugar

• 5g vanilla paste

• 100g Lotus Biscoff spread

• 400g Flora Plant Double 31%

For the topping:

• 100g Lotus Biscoff biscuits, crushed

• 40g Flora Plant B+tter Unsalted

Method

1. For the cheezecake: allow Violife Creamy to come to room temperature. In a machine with a beater attachment, mix the Violife Creamy with the sugar, vanilla and Biscoff spread until smooth. In a

separate bowl, whisk the Flora Plant Double 31% until firm. Fold together the Violife Creamy mix and Flora Plant Double 31% and place into a piping bag.

2. For the topping: place the Biscoff biscuits into a Ziploc bag and crush with a rolling pin or blitz in a food processor. In a saucepan, melt the Flora Plant B+tter Unsalted, then stir in the crushed biscuits, allow to set in the fridge then break into pieces.

3. In a suitable serving glass, pipe a layer of the cheezecake mix, top with the biscuit, and repeat to form two layers of each. Then serve.

BEST +++ GOOD +

Cut cost: for a cheaper option, swap the Biscoff spread for lemon curd to create a tangy lemon cheezecake. Decorate with lemon zest.

Sweet surprise: add another dimension to the dessert with a ripple of caramel sauce or fruit compôte through the layers.

BETTER ++

Irish Cream Chocolate Tiffin

Serves: 20 Skill rating: EASY

Ingredients

• 397g Carnation Condensed Milk

• 200g buttery baking spread

• 50g cocoa powder

• 100g dark chocolate, broken into pieces

• 3 tbsp Irish cream liqueur

• 50g raisins

• 250g rich tea biscuits, broken into large pieces

• 75g maraschino cherries, halved

For the topping:

• 50g white chocolate

• 50g dark chocolate

• 50g milk chocolate

Method

1. Line a 20cm square tin with baking parchment.

2. Add the Carnation Condensed Milk, butter, cocoa and 100g dark chocolate to a saucepan and heat

gently until the butter and chocolate has melted.

3. While everything is melting, add the Irish cream liqueur and raisins to a microwaveable bowl and heat for 1 minute. Leave to cool and let the raisins soak up all the liqueur.

4. Add the broken biscuits, cherries and soaked raisins to a large bowl and pour over the chocolate mix. Give it a good stir to make sure everything is coated.

5. Transfer the mix to your tin and smooth out the top. Pop it in the fridge to chill for at least an hour.

6. Melt the white, dark and milk chocolate separately, then place alternating circles of each type of chocolate on to the top of the tiffin. Swirl together using the end of a spoon and chill for a further 4 hours until the top has set.

party on

Perfect for party food nibbles or serving in a café

BEST +++ GOOD +

Swap out: instead of adding expensive maraschino cherries, use glacé cherries for a better value version. Halve them and add to the recipe as directed.

Decorate: you could scatter over some edible glitter for that extra Christmas sparkle or add

First orders

Must-try drinks, trending cocktails and behind the bar advice

3 to try…beers

What’s on your bar?

Level Head

A nod to the legend of St Edmund, Level Head Session IPA is hoppy with tropical and grapefruit notes, and at just 4% ABV is a perfect invitation to keep it steady!

Flint Eye

Flint Eye is a crisp, dry hopped lager with a peach aroma and taste, and subtle pine notes. It celebrates the flint-tipped arrows and sharp eye of the hunting archers.

London Diablo

Serves: 1 Skill rating: EASY

Ingredients

• 35ml premium tequila

• 15ml cassis

• 10ml lime juice

• London Essence Spiced Ginger Beer, to top up

• Berries and mint, to garnish

Method

Add the first three ingredients to a highball glass with ice and stir. Top up with London Essence Spiced Ginger Beer and garnish.

Camden Stout

A sweet talking pint, but not too sweet, and sessionable at 4%. Poured on nitrogen, this is a seriously creamy and smooth pint that will shake up the stout market.

“We’re a pub in the Peak District with a unique selling point in that we’re completely gluten free, from our food menu to our drinks. So, top quality gluten-free cask ales are a must for us.”

Desert island drink: mezcal margarita – I love the smoky hits and acidic pop of the mezcal and lime.

Most versatile soft drink: Fever-Tree Ginger Ale. You can mix it with almost any spirit and it adds incredible depth.

Top upselling tip: guide the customer to larger sizes and better quality. They’ll enjoy the experience more if they’re having a nicer drink and if that means spending more money too, it’s a win all round.

Current customer favourite: Thornbridge Brewery’s Coltrane. This gluten-free ale special has been flying out.

Newest drink on our bar: The Hugo Spritz – gin, prosecco, elderflower and soda.

JOEL FAULKNER General Manager at The Angel at Holmesfield

Warm and spicy

Never mind mulled wine, what about mulled cider and warm apple juice for children? It’s the perfect hand-warmer on chilly nights. Add cinnamon sticks, orange peel and cloves for that spiced flavour. For extra oomph, apple brandy (adults only!) makes a scrumptious addition.

Hot Cider

Serves: 1 Skill rating: EASY

Ingredients

• 16ml DaVinci Gourmet

Cinnamon Syrup

• 210ml cider (or apple juice)

• 30ml rum (optional)

• Apple slice, to garnish

Method

Gently heat the ingredients to warm through. Add garnish.

Shining lights

Both Bonfire Night and Diwali are big family occasions that benefit from a light show of fireworks. Keep it low-key with sparklers and give out glow sticks for kids or go all-out with an impressive display. Remember safety is a big consideration. Read the rules here:

Say cheese!

Create a fun backdrop for customer photos. The Instagram generation will love it and it’s great publicity for your venue when they tag you in posts. For Halloween, decorate a corner of your venue with scary skeletons, cobwebs and masks for customers to wear. For Bonfire Night, put on a competition – get customers to take a photo of friends or family with the fireworks display in the background. Offer a prize, such as a round of drinks, for the best entry posted on social media using your personalised hashtag.

Free snacks

Bonfire beats

If you want to give your Bonfire Night a boost, hire a local live band to extend the night beyond fireworks. Depending on your venue’s space (and the weather!), you could host the band indoors or outside by the bonfire. Charge customers a small entry fee for the entertainment and run food and drink offers.

Halloween and Bonfire Night can both be big nights for on-trade. Small bowls of free snacks served with drinks orders impress and are great for tempting sales. Make sure customers know about your selection. Matt Collins, Trading Director at KP Snacks, advises: “Position your snacks with high visibility – 37% of customers purchase snacks because they noticed them while at the bar.” Pubs and bars should stock a selection of popular snacks such as KP Nuts and McCoy’s.

Walkers and Quavers

crisps are also essential, while Doritos with dips can create simple yet tasty sharing platters – chicken goujons and halloumi fries both go down well too.

Delicious deals

Make your venue’s offering too tempting to pass up. Encourage customers to make an evening of it with ‘buy one, get one half-price’ deals on drinks when buying a jacket potato with chilli or a hot dog. For every two adults’ meals bought, give customers a half-price kids’ meal and drink. Jugs of beer or autumnal cocktail pitchers for Halloween can catch customers’ attention. Don’t forget to shout about them on your social media, blackboards and posters in the window to get the word out there.

Pumpkin Pie Latte

Serves: 1 Skill rating: EASY

Ingredients

• 60ml DaVinci Gourmet Pumpkin Syrup

• 60ml espresso

• 360ml steamed milk

Method

Add all the ingredients to a coffee mug and stir.

Get creative

These autumn events aren’t just for evenings. If you’re a café or pub that opens in the daytime, increase footfall by hosting family-friendly activities. The weekend before Halloween, offer pumpkin carving (with adult supervision), biscuit decorating or get some spooky mask templates and let the kids get creative. A small charge per child will cover materials, then entice the adults with themed hot drinks and cakes. Try fun soft drinks for kids too – they’ll love a neon green potion!

Party time

For bars and pubs, a Halloween party is a must. Set yours apart from the rest with themed drinks, a star attraction (think a tarot card reader or makeup artists) and a playlist or DJ to keep everyone dancing all night long. Sell tickets with an early bird discount or half-price drink thrown in. Insist on fancy dress, giving a prize for the best dressed.

Bat Bite

Serves: 1 Skill rating: EASY

Ingredients

• 50ml spiced rum

• 200ml Britvic Indian Tonic

• 12.5ml Teisseire Cherry

• Cherry and orange wedge, to garnish

Method

Mix all the ingredients together in a highball glass with ice. Garnish.

Web Chocolate Triangles

Festival gifts

Diwali is often a stay-at-home family occasion but it doesn’t mean people won’t go out to celebrate over the festival weekend. Get the candles out to create an atmospheric environment. Go for a mainly veggie menu with plenty of soft drinks such as lassis. Advertise gift boxes for customers to give to friends and family – include samosas, pakoras and Indian sweets such as barfi and gulab jamun.

MORE RECIPES

Beef and Ale Pie

Jackfruit Stew with Pumpkin

potatoes for a quick Spanish-style tortilla, or pan fry them with olive oil and smoked paprika, squashing them slightly to get crispy, golden edges.

Sweetcorn

Mix drained corn with chickpea flour and water for a protein-rich fritter, or toss with olive oil and grill until golden for a Southernstyle side.

Canned

Ideal for economical soups, stews and curries or valuedriven sides

Add to curries, soups and stews for colour, or stir through eggs to make a legendary breakfast scramble. Drain really well to avoid soggy leaves.

Beans

Try the viral TikTok recipe, cowboy caviar. Toss mixed beans (kidney, black-eyed peas or black beans) and sweetcorn with avocado, chopped pepper, red onion, and a spiced lime and honey dressing.

Slice canned new

6 WAYS we help your business thrive

There’s all of Bar & Kitchen online plus a wealth of tools and extras. Are YOU missing out?

Bar & Kitchen magazine doesn’t just exist in print. There’s a whole website behind it too! It’s an essential encyclopedia of everything the modern bar owner, restaurateur, chef and caterer needs at their fingertips. Updated regularly, it matches the seasons so it’s relevant, useful and ready to provide inspiration whenever you need it.

1

700+ recipes

Delicious on tap From chilli con carne to ice cream via salads, satay and strawberry cheesecake, it’s all here. You can filter by dish and drink types (eg dessert, starters, cocktails or main courses); by cuisine (eg Chinese, Irish, Spanish and Brazilian); and by diet (dairy-free, vegan, dysphagia etc).

More than 100 members

Not sure

Making

sense Want to

depot locator Advice expertise tools

Meet your peers What are other business owners, chefs and bar managers doing to innovate, budget and deliver? We ask them and tell you! What are the latest trends that your suppliers are seeing and what new products are on offer? You’ll find it all on our website, exclusive to your business.

Menu planner Put together new menus for any occasion. From your bank of saved recipes, you can create custom menus for a variety of courses. You can have a different menu for every season.

Cost to menu calculator There’s no more guesswork with our profit calculator. Simply put in the cost of the dish, your desired margin and the VAT rate to reveal your gross profit and menu price.

The social media guide PART 5

WHAT IS X?

The social platform is known for its ‘tweets’: short posts of up to 280 characters that are shared with followers. Tweets may contain photos, videos and links and you can X is often used as a customer service tool. It’s easy for customers to send you a message and as it’s all publicly visible, companies tend to answer more quickly. If you’d like to use it in this way, you need to have someone on your team checking it and replying to messages every day.

include hashtags so more people can find your posts. Although not as big as Facebook and Instagram, X still has a large following with around 19 million users in the UK.

HOW CAN X BENEFIT YOUR BUSINESS?

Widen your reach. X is popular with small local businesses; they use it to share news and promote each other. If you follow businesses nearby and get involved in their conversations, then they could help you find a wider customer base by reposting your posts and tagging you in posts.

Source: Social Shepherd

Top tips on how to do well ON X

WHAT’S X ALL ABOUT?

NEWS TRENDS

Is it worth it?

X isn’t widely used in hospitality (Facebook and Instagram are the favourites) but it can still offer exposure. Consider how much time you can dedicate to social media when deciding whether to use it.

If something big has happened in the UK such as the final of The Great British Bake Off, then many people go to X to share their thoughts and read what others think. If a big event comes up that’s relevant to your business and offering (maybe you have some cake specials coming up), then put some posts out during this time to gain maximum publicity. Use the most widely used hashtag so others can see your posts. Don’t just jump on the trend for the sake of it though – add something of value.

VIDEOS

Update often Always make sure your profile bio and website link are up to date as customers will look here for information on your venue and how they can get in touch.

As on the other social platforms, videos are a great way to get noticed in a busy news feed. On X, they can be up to 2 minutes 20 seconds. Share cocktail-making clips, behindthe-scenes tours and fun videos that show the personality of your business and team.

THREADS

If X isn’t for you, try Threads, the new social platform from the people behind Facebook and Instagram

Positive reviews

Look out for customers tagging you in tweets. Retweet positive reviews so other customers can see them and respond to the post.

IN THE NEXT ISSUE

We look at YouTube. Could it help you reach a wider audience?

RETWEETS

A retweet simply means that someone reposts a tweet you’ve put out. If you have a special offer available, a new menu or drink launching or an exciting competition coming up, then ask followers to retweet (use the initials RT) your posts to help spread the word.

30% X IS GROWING 30% FASTER THAN INSTAGRAM FOR THE GEN Z AUDIENCE

Source: Hootsuite

Know your chocolate

It’s a must-have on every dessert menu so we’ve spoken to an expert to find out how you can upgrade your chocolate skills

Ben Crocker is Head Pastry Chef at Tottenham Hotspur Football Club. In his role, he heads up a team that makes beautiful creations for anything from a 400 person corporate dinner, to catering for 8,000 fans on match days.

THE TYPES

Dark

Dark chocolate contains little or no fat so has a stronger cocoa flavour, giving an intense taste. It has 65% cocoa solids or higher. For a more bitter taste, go for a higher percentage.

Milk

This chocolate has 35-55% cocoa solids. It contains dairy fat which gives a creamier and richer texture. For less sweetness, go for a higher percentage.

White

With the lowest cocoa solids, white is much sweeter and has a creamier texture. When using it, we reduce the amount of sugar in other elements of a dish so the chocolate can be the star.

Pair with…

Sharp flavours such as passion fruit and citrus fruit like lime. Dark chocolate also complements coffee, alcohol such as brandy and rum, and nuts – think hazelnut praline.

Pair with…

Salted caramel or teas. We’ve made a great milk chocolate and Earl Grey tiramisu. Chai and Oolong tea also work well with milk chocolate.

Pair with…

Citrus like yuzu (a tart fruit similar to grapefruit) or berries. Salty flavours also work well with white chocolate – try salted macadamias, pistachios and cashews.

“I love working with chocolate. It’s such a versatile product and there are so many types available now. The flavour pairings are really exciting”

TEMPERING CHOCOLATE

What is it?

Tempering means to heat and cool chocolate to stabilise it which creates a shiny and crisp finish once set.

What can you use it for?

It’s essential for making chocolates such as truffles or moulded chocolate desserts, basically anything that you want to look shiny and have a good snap.

top tip

If we want tempered chocolate to keep its temperature for longer, we add Mycryo™, a cocoa butter powder. Weigh your chocolate and add 1% of that weight in Mycryo™ to your melted chocolate.

How to temper

There are several methods but the most accessible is called seeding.

1. Chop your chocolate finely or use high quality chocolate such as Callebaut or Valhrona which you can buy in callets (small buttons or chips).

2. Melt three-quarters of the chocolate slowly in the microwave or in a bain marie. You want the temperature to be around 50C for dark chocolate or 45C for milk or white.

3. Add in the remaining quarter of chocolate off the heat. Stir well until the temperature drops to 28C for dark chocolate or 26-27C for white or milk.

4. Reheat on a low heat until it reaches a working temperature – 31-32C for dark and 28-29C for milk and white.

SWEET ADVICE

QUALITY MATTERS

In our fine dining and à la carte restaurants, we use higher quality chocolate to get better flavour. For the more commercial outlets here, we go for lower cost options. Look at your establishment and budget to decide what’s best for you.

VEGAN

I think the key with creating vegan desserts is not to just try to replicate dairy-based dishes. Sometimes you can’t get the same quality. I’d rather think up something new than make a sub-par alternative.

CHOCOLATE GANACHE top tip

This chocolate and cream mix is great for spreading on cakes and adding a decadent layer to mousses or other desserts.

1. Boil double cream then pour over your finely chopped chocolate.

2. Leave to infuse for five minutes.

3. Blend with a stick blender to emulsify the fat content together and make a smooth, velvety texture.

4. Use immediately or leave to thicken.

To create a more stable ganache that can be whipped up like a mousse or Chantilly cream, we mix UHT cream, glucose and Trimoline (sugar syrup). Heat together and pour over the chocolate, add cold cream, then chill.

Raspberry and White Chocolate Crème Brûlée

Serves: 8 Skill rating: EASY

Ingredients

• 1 litre Macphie Crème Brûlée

• 200g white chocolate pieces

Salted Caramel Brownies

Serves: 18 Skill rating: MEDIUM

Ingredients

• 200g buttery baking spread (70% fat) or butter, plus a little extra for greasing

• 200g dark chocolate (we used half 70% and half 50% cocoa solids), chopped into chunks

• 397g Carnation Caramel

• 1 level tsp flaky sea salt

• 200g caster sugar

• 4 eggs

• 130g plain flour

• 50g cocoa powder

Method

1. Prepare the tin – grease and line a 23cm square baking tin with baking parchment. Preheat the oven to 180C.

2. Melt the butter and chocolate together over a low heat in a saucepan or 20 second burst in the microwave.

3. In a small bowl, beat half the caramel from the can with the sea salt – it will loosen. Put the rest of the caramel in a large bowl with the sugar and eggs, and beat with an electric

hand mixer or balloon whisk. Beat in the chocolate and butter.

4. In another bowl, combine the plain flour, cocoa powder and then sift this on top of the chocolate mix. Mix until smooth. Pour half the brownie batter into the tin and spread out to the edges.

5. Drizzle half of the salted caramel on top of the brownie mixture in long stripes. Spoon the rest of the brownie batter on top and smooth it out, trying not to disturb the caramel beneath.

6. Top with the rest of the caramel in lines once again and then use a skewer to marble the caramel and brownie mixture slightly. Bake for 30-35 mins or until risen. The top should be a little crusty and the centre should wobble very slightly when you shake the tin. Let it cool completely in the tin, then cut into squares.

• 32-40 fresh raspberries

• Demerara sugar

Method

1. Put 4-5 raspberries into each of the 8 ramekins.

2. Pour the Macphie Crème Brûlée into a saucepan and bring to the boil,

stirring continuously.

3. Take off the stove and stir in the white chocolate pieces until completely melted.

4. Pour into ramekins, cool slightly and then refrigerate for a minimum of 2 hours until set.

5. Prior to serving, sprinkle with demerara sugar and caramelise with a blow torch.

Chocolate Martini

Serves: 10 Skill rating: EASY

Ingredients

For the chocolate syrup:

• 300g caster sugar

• 85g McDougalls

Cocoa Powder

• 1 pinch of salt

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

For the martini:

• 150ml homemade chocolate syrup

• 575ml Irish cream liquor

• 575ml chocolate liquor

• Shaved chocolate, for garnish

Method

1. For the syrup: combine 350ml water, the caster sugar, McDougalls Cocoa Powder and salt in a saucepan over a medium heat. Bring to a simmer until the syrup starts to

thicken up.

2. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract. Allow to cool and keep refrigerated until used.

3. For the martini: pour the chocolate syrup, Irish cream and chocolate liquor into a cocktail shaker with the ice and shake until blended.

4. Pour each martini into a cocktail glass and garnish with shaved chocolate.

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