Hallowe'en Focus: Ideas for food
Once all the tricks are treated and the sparklers have sparkled their last, customers' thoughts will inevitably turn to food.
Sausages, burgers and jacket potatoes are undoubtedly seasonal favourites for Hallowe'en and Bonfire Night, but even if customers are paying a set price, it's possible to supplement the menu with dishes which are just a little more imaginative.
Nigel Harris, managing director at produce supplier Fresh Direct, suggests: "Develop a unique, one off menu for the run-up to Hallowe'en and Bonfire Night. This is a great opportunity for operators to be creative with dishes and ingredients.
"By differentiating from the usual menu you can create excitement and charge higher price points."
Incorporate seasonal produce such as squashes, swede, pumpkins, apples and nuts into your menu. Soup is an easy-to-make, cost-effective option that can be served as a starter or as a main. Try pumpkin and cumin soup, parsnip soup, or sweet potato soup. Fruit soups are growing in popularity - such as apple, apple and pear or damson soup.
For sweet Hallowe'en treats offer cored, whole baked apples filled with cinnamon and crème fraiche, caramelised sliced apple and custard or sliced baked banana with butter and rum.
Keep the atmosphere spooky by using themed props, decorations and garnishes. Place baby pumpkins on the side of dishes or in a bundle on each table for a simple yet effective finishing touch.
Nigel adds: "A great way to increase profits is to offer customers a set menu for a set price. If you have the facilities, sell tickets that include fireworks and food. Customers will see this as value for money, and in terms of profits, pubs can ensure they will receive a fixed amount of money per head and can budget accordingly in terms of both money and quantity of food, which can save on waste.
Serve soup
Soup served in paper cups offers great profit potential. Brakes has a new range of freshly made and frozen soups, available in packs of 5x1kg, 25 portions in all, in four flavours: Potato & Leek, Minestrone, Tomato & Basil and Carrot & Coriander.
Available in an innovative frozen pellet format, they've been designed to save pubs time and provide flexible portion control. Pour the required amount into the microwave, cover lightly, heat on full power for 60 seconds, stir, heat for a further 60 seconds and serve. Larger servings can be heated in a pan and kept hot in a soup kettle.
Spooky food
To help make Hallowe'en a spirited occasion, Maggi Menu Solutions has come up with a range of quick and easy-to-prepare spooky recipes for starters and main courses. The recipes provide publicans with a step-by-step guide to offering a profitable themed menu.
For hair-raising results, offer tasty Graveyard Goulash, a hearty beef dish, subtly flavoured with paprika, caraway and tomatoes. Or conjure up a bowl of Roasted Pumpkin Soup with Chilli Corn Bread - a wholesome potion of roasted pumpkin, tomatoes and onions.
Click on the link (right) to find the recipes.
