The festive season presents a prime time for food and beverage operators to maximise sales and footfall.
Planning and prepping for parties, Christmas lunches and the influx of customers across the holiday period means December is the busiest time of the year. So, any ingredients that are versatile and easy to use will save valuable time, money and reduce the pressure on kitchen staff.
A butter alternative, such as Original Whirl, can help make Christmas catering a breeze. Below are some of the ways in which you can deliver delicious festive feasts using this valuable ingredient.
It’s time to party
Office Christmas parties are notoriously boozy affairs, but it still pays to have some delicious, hot canapes or handheld nibbles served buffet-style to keep your customers going. Serve festive cocktails, such as berry bellinis, alongside mini rustic pizzas and veggie samosas made with Whirl. Mix up toppings to suit different dietary requirements and tap into the latest food trends – try BBQ pulled pork or spicy chorizo, or vegan cheese and tomato for those who follow a plant-based diet. Use Original Whirl with freshly-crushed garlic to glaze prawns on skewers.
Christmassy catch-ups
The festive season is the perfect opportunity to catch up with family and friends, so it’s worth having a few sweet treats on the menu for those who are dropping in for a casual coffee and a catch up. Use Whirl to whip up a batch of mince pies and brandy butter, or shortbread Santas and reindeer for the kids. Serve with flavoured coffees or loaded mugs of hot chocolate for a warming winter treat.
The main event
Producing a tasty Christmas dinner for a large group of people is no mean feat, given all the different elements to consider and multiple timings. Chefs can provide dishes full of flavour with Original Whirl, which is perfect and simple to use for baking, glazing, grilling or using in sauces. It doesn’t take up valuable space in the fridge and there is no need to wait for it to melt to be used. Baste the turkey in Whirl, or use it to glaze parsnips, sprouts and even pigs in blankets. Swap goose fat for Whirl in a tray of potatoes, and replace butter with it in the Christmas pudding finale.
Leftovers
Reduce any festive food waste by using leftovers to create new dishes, starting with a classic turkey curry. Heat a splash of Whirl in a pan and soften onion and pepper, before adding curry paste and garlic. Throw in chopped tomatoes and diced turkey, to create a hearty, warming dish. Use Original Whirl to create the pastry for a quiche, using leftover ham and cheese from a cheeseboard – a perfect addition to a ploughman’s lunch.
Clean and lean for 2019
As soon as New Year celebrations are out of the way, people start thinking about overhauling their diet and exercise regime. With healthy eating being a key food trend for 2019, fill your menu with dishes low in saturated fat and packed with nutrients. As Whirl has lower saturated fat than butter, it makes the ideal healthy substitute. Use it as a glaze to grill lean meats, fish and vegetables, or use it as a base in superfood soups, such as our Super Green Soup, which are ideal for lunch service.
This resources section contains a wide range of additional information for our wholesaler customers about all of our AAK Foodservice brands including: Lion, Whirl, Prep, Uncle John’s, AVR60, Prep Premium, Cuisine Naturelle and Rowallan.
If you would like access to pack shots, marketing materials, brochures and advertisements, please sign in or create an account.