Once considered a perpetual part of the family – back when families actually sat together at the dinner table, instead of in front of the television – the hostess food warmer is making a resounding comeback! And hopefully along with it, will come the return of traditional family bonding and quality dinnertime conversation.
Those of us on the other side of 30 will fondly recall the rich aromas of roasted meats, vegetables and gravies that emanated from the charming hostess food warmer trolley. This dinnertime companion was once a symbol for togetherness and festivity in the home. Well, this retro classic is back, locally manufactured in South Africa, and of course, it comes with a few modern improvements.
In recognition of its homecoming, we at Binuns Online have decided to give you five tips on getting the most out of this cookware classic. Not only will your guests be impressed by your professional looking catering trolley but the food will be kept warm, fresh and taste so much better:
1 Make sure to preheat your hostess food warmer
Avoid one of the most common mistakes made when using a food warmer and ensure that there is enough time for it to heat up properly. Generally, you’ll need about 20 to 30 minutes to make sure that everything is heated to the ideal temperature.
Once properly preheated, the consumption of energy drops and very little power is used to keep it warm, as long as the doors remain closed. This is great news for those who are worried about the increased Eskom bills.
2 Heat your dishes at the same time
Our grandmothers always taught us never to serve food on a cold plate. This little trick is used in the finest restaurants all over the world to keep food warm for longer and tasting delicious.
Heat your dishes at the same time as you heat your trolley. This will ensure that they are ready at the same time.
3 Know the limit
Understanding what your food warmer can and cannot do will keep you from any embarrassing situations in front of your guests. For example, your hostess hot tray won’t finish cooking your food. So if your food is underdone then it will stay underdone.
Manufacturers also advise not keeping food in the warmer for longer than four hours, as this will result in your food drying out.
4 Use the right hostess trolley dishes
There are certain dishes that work better to keep your food warm and looking beautiful. Pyrex is a great option; not only does it allow the heat through beautifully but it also looks more attractive than most pots.
5 To cover or not to cover
Occasionally you’ll need to cover the food and other times you won’t. A good rule of thumb is to cover food that won’t get soggy but leave anything that needs to be crispy without a cover.
So there we have it. All that’s left is to invite the family and friends over and reignite those fond memories with the hostess trolley and a hearty homemade meal.
Image from: Seventies style: Jill Foster on www.dailymail.co.uk
