What’s on at IMBIBE LIVE 16.

After a very successful Imbibe Live 15, Bonzer^® are keen to return to the show this year and create something bigger and better on the Bonzer^® Stand. So this year we have extended our product range, increased the size of the stand, added a bar and included a game of #CocktailPong.

The bar will be run in conjunction with Ladies and Gentleman Bar, Kentish Town powered and by Vestal Vodka™. Following a successful collaboration with Vestal Vodka™ to launch the Heritage Range, we liked the craft spirit so much we decided to include a range of delicious vodka cocktails at the bar to quench the thirst of our visitors.

Excellent cocktails require great tools and even greater skill. For this reason we are using the excellent mixologists from Ladies and Gentlemen Bar, Kentish Town to mix up 4 great cocktails for you to try. There will be hands on demonstrations of Bonzer^® Barware during the show, plus you’re more than welcome to do some mixing and shaking with the quality kit yourself!

It wouldn’t be a proper exhibition without giveaways and a competition. So with this in mind we have jumped on the beer pong trend and created our own #CocktailPong. Just throw our brand new Jerry Spring Whisk into the waiting shaker tins. If you succeed then you can keep the spring whisk to achieve a perfect foam when using egg whites. Don’t forget to take a picture and post it on social media for a chance to win bigger prizes!

All of this before we have even mentioned the great range of tools on offer to see, touch and discuss using in your bar! New products including the Jerry Spring Whisk, Telescopic Bar Spoon and Heritage Cocktail Strainers.

We look forward to seeing you on stand F118!

Which Is The Best Commercial Gelato Machine For You?

Gelato is currently as popular as it’s ever been, with creative ice cream parlours, gelato bars, and restaurants constantly competing with each other to produce new, original, and experimental flavours. Of course, this is not just another summer fad and gelato has actually been in vogue since ancient Roman times, when it was made using snow and ice from the mountaintops and then refrigerated under the ground!
As well as being an eternal favourite with customers, the margins on gelato are also popular with proprietors, and fortunately it is a food that is easy to keep fresh for weeks at a time. There are many different types of gelato makers available, but for commercial establishments, certain makes and models outshine the rest. At Bonzer, we only sell gelato equipment and gelato machines that have passed our rigorous industry standards for performance, functionality, and results, and so here we review our favourite models and highlight the best features that each has to offer, in order of price and capacity.

Nemox Gelato Pro 2500 SP

The Nemox Gelato Pro 2500 SP is the most compact commercial ice cream machine that we sell and is ideal for smaller establishments that need to produce limited quantities of gelato. It is a counter mounted design which produces up to 1 kg (1 quart) of delicious gelato in approximately 20 minutes. It features both a fixed 18/10 stainless steel bowl as well as a removeable bowl with a plastic lid, which saves valuable time as you can remove it and make another preparation with the fixed bowl immediately.The removable bowl is very easy to clean and can also be put in the freezer.
The unit itself is made from stainless steel, as is the blade which also has removable scrapers. It is suitable for long work cycles and has an automatic reset thermostat, as well as a magnetic safety device which ensures that the paddle will instantly stop when the lid is lifted. Furthermore, it has a density controlled switch which immediately stops when the gelato mix is ready.
It can accommodate 1.4 litres of gelato base mix and can produce approximately 4.5 litres of gelato per hour. The list price of the unit is £1663.23.

Nemox Gelato 5K SC

 

The Nemox Gelato 5K SC is one of the most popular gelato makers for commercial establishments, as it produces high quality gelato quickly and easily. It is an air cooled counter top unit that has a continuous operating function, so can make many different flavours in a short space of time.
The body and mixer blade are constructed from stainless steel and the blade comes with replaceable inserts. Just like the Pro 2500 SP, it features a magnetic safety device for the lid, a density controlled switch, and has a large opening so adding ingredients isn’t a messy affair. Moreover, it features an inbuilt drainage system which allows for fast and simple cleaning of the entire unit.
The 5K SC has an ingredients capacity of 1.75 litres and takes approximately 15 minutes per batch, so it can produce about 7 litres per hour. It’s list price is £2595.78.

Nemox Gelato 6K Crea

 

The Nemox Gelato 6K Crea is a robust counter top gelato machine, fitted with a stainless steel adjustable blade and scrapers. The blade has a variable speed control of between 55 and 115 RPM. The unit benefits from intelligent software which automatically controls the unit and has four production programs (Gelato Classico, SemiSoft Ice Cream, Granita, and Shock Freezing), so you can leave the unit alone to make the ice cream while you busy yourself elsewhere in the kitchen.
The gelato maker has a large opening which allows for mess free addition of ingredients and has an easy to clean drainage system. It also comes with an optional paddle for processing granita. The 6K Crea can hold a maximum ingredients volume of 2.5 litres and takes about 15 minutes per batch of gelato, so can produce approximately 10 litres per hour. It has a list price of £3958.33.

Nemox Gelato 12k

 

The Nemox Gelato 12K is a floor standing and very powerful aircooled commercial ice cream maker, complete with many advanced features. It has a frontal product extraction system and a paddle with adjustable scrapers which has a variable rotation speed of 60 – 130 RPM.
The extraction and mixing of gelato is controlled by an electronic inverter, and with a large opening for easy addition of ingredients and the same magnetic safety device featured across our other Nemox Gelato machines, the 12K takes care of the ice cream production so you can focus your efforts elsewhere.
The Gelato 12K takes up to 3.5 litres of ingredients and takes approximately 12 minutes per batch of ice cream, so can produce about 17.5 litres per hour. It has a list price of £6024.18.

Nemox Gelato 5+5K Twin Crea

 

The Nemox Gelato 5+5K Twin Crea is our largest and most expensive floorstanding gelato maker. Similarly to the 6K model, the Twin Crea’s functions are controlled by advanced software and it has the same four production programs (Gelato Classico, SemiSoft Ice Cream, Granita, and Shock Freezing). It features the magnetic safety device, a stainless steel blade with adjustable scrapers, a large opening for inserting ingredients, and an optional paddle for granita processing.
The unit is a real powerhouse and is ideal for large, busy establishments as it has an easy to clean drain valve and can accommodate up to 1.75 + 1.75 litres of ingredients. It takes around 15 minutes per batch and produces about 14 litres per hour. The unit’s list price is £6425.18.

Calculate your margin and ROI

 

These Gelato makers produce exceptional quality gelato and ice cream which will no doubt impress your customers and have them coming back for more again and again. Very healthy margins can be made and although they are top of the range machines, it doesn’t take long for them to pay for themselves. For this reason, we have created our new Ice Cream Margin & Return On Investment Calculator.
All you need to do to use the calculator is enter in your chosen ingredients, the container size, the container price, and the amount of mixture used, and the Calculator will tell you what your profit margin will be in advance.

Additionally, it will determine exactly how many sales you will need to make at this rate in order to recoup your investment. Judging by how fast gelato tends to sell, we estimate that it will only be a matter of days or weeks at the most, before your gelato maker has completely paid for itself.
So if you would like to find out more about our Gelato machines and how they can help to entice more customers into your establishment, please feel free to email sales@mitchellcooper.co.uk or call us on +44 (0)1825 765 511.
In the meantime, why not have a go with our Ice Cream Margin & Return On Investment Calculator and discover how you could be both saving and making money at the same time.

Pac ‘n’ Vac Containers Win Product Excellence Award

This week, our Pac ‘n’ Vac Containers won the award for Food Preparation Equipment at The Caterer’s annual Product Excellence Awards. The awards are set-up to:

recognise excellence and innovation in food, drink and equipment products within the hospitality sector, [and] represent the very best examples of product development in the industry.

Bonzer, and our parent company Mitchell & Cooper, were also nominated in the Food Preparation Equipment for our Bonzer Can Opener, though it was beaten to the award by our very own Pac ‘n’ Vac Containers. You can view all of the winners at thecaterer.com/articles/354392/2014-product-excellence-awards-winners-announced.

Here’s Bonzer’s Kat and Guy Cooper accepting the award:

Our Pac ‘n’ Vac Containers can be ordered from the Bonzer website where they are available in Standard and Gastronorm sizes.

Five Recipe Ideas For Your Excalibur Dehydrator

Dehydrators have become increasingly popular in recent years, with both professional and amateur chefs finding them essential for creating dried fruit and vegetables, as well as foods as varied as yoghurt, salad dressings, beef jerky, fish, onion rings or fruit wraps. While some of these dishes can be created in an oven, it is much more efficient both in terms of time and energy, to use a commercial dehydrator. Plus, a dehydrator will offer the controls to ensure that your food is dehydrated to perfection whilst preserving important vitamins and minerals that are often lost when drying foods in the oven.

Excalibur’s Dehydrator is one of the most versatile dehydrators available. It’s the only one that uses the Parallex™ Horizontal Air Flow Drying System – a fan and adjustable thermostat that creates excellent airflow, ensuring each tray receives its own “jet stream” of forced air. Many other dehydrators radiate heat; the Excalibur directs it.

Here are five simple but inspirational recipes you can make with an Excalibur Dehydrator, including a couple of surprising contenders!

Banana Chips

Let’s start off with an easy dehydrated classic, the banana chip.

1. Peel the bananas and then slice them into ¼-inch pieces.
2. Some people then like to soak the banana slices in a mixture of half water and half fresh lemon juice for 5-10 minutes, which stops the bananas from turning brown during the dehydration process. If you don’t mind your banana chips being slightly off-colour then you can skip this step.
3. Line your Excalibur Dehydrator with a ParaFlexx non-stick drying sheet
4. Lay the banana slices on a single layer of the dehydrator trays and try to stop the banana slices from touching where possible.
5. Dehydrate at 135 °F for 6-10 hours or until leathery in texture

Dehydrated Tomatoes

Dehydrated tomatoes can be just as good as sun-dried tomatoes and at a fraction of the price too.
Here’s how you make them:

1. Slice your ripe tomatoes
2. Add 1 gram of pure ascorbic acid (vitamin C) to a bowl of water
3. Submerge the tomatoes in this water for around 3-4 minutes. This is an optional step but it will help preserve the colour of the tomatoes
4. Remove the tomatoes from the water and place on a dehydrator tray (pre-lined with ParaFlexx)
5. Run the dehydrator at 135 °F for 7-8 hours or until the slices have become dry and crispy
6. Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container. Alternatively, you could soak the tomatoes in olive oil. However, bear in mind that the tomatoes will only keep for a week or two if soaked in olive oil.

Yoghurt

One of the most surprising things that can be made in a dehydrator is yoghurt. Doing it this way is also remarkably simple. To make yoghurt in a dehydrator just follow these steps:

1. Pour milk into a saucepan
2. Heat milk over medium heat until temperature reaches 185°F-195°F
3. Whisk in yoghurt with active cultures. Make sure the yoghurt is mixed in well with the milk
4. Transfer the mixture into glass jars, and seal with lids
5. Remove all trays from the dehydrator and place the jars inside
6. Dehydrate for 8 to 10 hours. Do not stir or check the yoghurt during this time
7. Once dehydration is complete, place the jars in the fridge. The yoghurt will thicken as it cools

Carrot Straws
These are a great healthy little snack full of vitamin A. They are also gluten and wheat-free, so are a great alternative to crisps, and to make them is so easy with an Excalibur.

1. In a bowl, toss the carrots in olive oil
2. Sprinkle sea salt on the carrots and toss them again
3. Place the carrots on a Paraflexx-lined dehydrator tray
4. Dry at 125 °F for 6 hours or until crispy

Granola
Dehydrators are great for making granola. This is one of our favourite granola recipes, but feel free to change as you wish. You could also dehydrate some fruit to add to the mix too.

1. Preheat your oven to 400 °F
2. Blend a mixture of nuts and oats. We like to go for one cup of peanuts, one cup of walnuts and one cup of cashews, as well as ½ cup of sunflower seeds. Add 5 cups of good quality rolled oats
3. Place the mix in a baking pan and toast it in the oven for 10 minutes, stirring at regular intervals so that it doesn’t burn
4. Mix together 1 cup of brown sugar, 2 large spoonfuls of honey, 8 tablespoons of butter, 4 teaspoons of vanilla extract and a pinch of salt, and simmer together in a saucepan while stirring
5. In a large bowl, mix together all of the ingredients, as well as any dried fruit you may like to include
6. Place your granola mix on a Paraflexx-lined dehydrator tray
7. Dehydrate the mixture at 115 °F for roughly 3 hours

To purchase an Excalibur Dehydrator today please click here, or to find out more information about dehydrators in general, please contact us via email or by phone on +44 (0)1825 765 511

Bonzer Product Guide 2014 Launched

 

We have just recently launched our brand new product guide, featuring 121 pages of professional products for the foodservice market. This year’s catalogue sees the introduction of a number of new brands, ranges and products from well known and trusted brands. In this edition you will find new UK manufactured lines from our own Bonzer brand including: Pacnvac vacuum storage containers, cup/lid dispenser cabinets, Bonzer Inline Hexdome cup stackesr as well as new additions to the Bonzer bar range.

Other new products include: Nemox professional gelato machines, Crathco juice dispensers, Noon sous vide circulators, Excalibur 10 tray digital dehydrators, Omega blenders and juicers, Aladin 007 smoker, and the Coolbar CO2 glass froster.

If you’d like to know more about our products visit our website bonzer.co.uk or contact us directly.

The catalogue can be viewed/downloaded from bonzer.co.uk/media/catalogues

Light entertainment: Suppliers talk small kit

The physical disparity between a six-burner range and, say, a can opener is pretty obvious. But it is not only the attributes of size and weight that distinguish the light equipment market from its heavy duty counterpart.

Both also exhibit very individual market traits, which goes some way to explaining why a lot of suppliers and resellers focus more on one or the other, than both. For a start, those accustomed to life in the light equipment fast lane will argue until they are blue in the face that the market moves at a much quicker pace and, often, on a more seasonal basis.

Read the rest of the article which features Mitchell & Cooper here.