Archive for April, 2016

How to host a successful corporate party

April 29th, 2016

Parties are a fun time to enjoy with close ones. Corporate parties give you a chance to let your hair down and enjoy some light moments with your colleagues. These parties are also the gateway for new business opportunities that may help your company expand and make huge profits. Hosting a party at your location can increase your exposure to all the prospective clients and introduce your business to them.

Here are some wonderful tips to plan a successful business party that people will keep talking all year. Organise a business party and book for cakes next day delivery on the previous day –

Guest list –

The number of guests and the guests itself will be important decisions to make. Be careful on who you are going to invite. It is not your child’s birthday party. Do not include family or friends. Let the guest list be of your office workers, potential clients, and faithful customers because it is your time to say thank you, advertisement industry people because you need some publicity and other people who might be helpful for your business.

Theme –

A party should have a theme, this is an unwritten rule. So, plan a theme for your party. Let the theme be nice and fun. Do not be too daring or over the top. When deciding the theme, think about the lifestyle, interests and style of your customers, business partners and co-workers. Suit theme, sports theme, and retro themed parties are great for business events.

Sponsors-

Find people who are willing to organise your party. This is because business events do cost a lot and there are people who are willing to sign heavy cheques in return of publicity they get from such parties. You can also tie up with another smaller company that is willing to share the burden. Do not forget that the other company should be of a different line and noncompeting with yours. This way you will get greater exposure and chance to meet new people.

Date –

The date and day of the party is very important. Make sure it is on a weekend because hard working people hate to go out on weekdays after a busy day of work. Prefer evenings as it sets a right mood for the party. Also, do not plan any events on the beginning or end of the financial year as everyone is busy working hard.

Good service –

You should have planned everything before hand, from how many chairs for seating to how many desserts will be served. The quality of the food and drinks must never be compromised no matter how much it costs you. Serve tasty food of at least two cuisines; do not leave any scope for complaining. Order next day delivery cakes the previous day and enjoy your cakes with your clients.

Follow up –

Your job is not over once your party is over. You will have to gather all the contacts and follow up by sending thank you notes. It may be a personal card or an email.

After you finish all these steps, consider your party a grand success for sure.

Strawberry- a mouth watering fruit

April 26th, 2016

Fragaria ananassa is commonly known as strawberry. Scientifically speaking, strawberry is an aggregate accessory fruit and not the actual fruit. It is a red coloured, juicy fruit that is sweet, sometimes sour to taste. Strawberry is probably the cutest looking fruit that attracts all especially kids. The fruit is consumed all over the world either in fresh form or as an ingredient in juices, ice creams, milk shakes etc. Strawberry flavouring is one of the most used flavours in food, beverages, make up and fragrance industry.

History –

It was first cultivated in France in the 1750s. Before this, the fruit grew in wild. The use of strawberry became popular because of its medicinal values. Different types of strawberries that vary in size, shape, colour and taste are grown in the different parts of the world. Usually the creeper grows in cool places like hill stations.

Appearance –

The fruit is small, heart shaped red in colour with a green calyx on the head. The surface is spotted and rough with more than 200 seeds on its outer membrane. The inner texture is soft and succulent. The tiny fruit could be eaten in one bite. it will be the most attractive fruit in your fruit baskets.

Commercial uses –

Along with being eaten just like a plain fresh fruit, strawberry has other uses too.

  • It is consumed with fresh cream.
  • It is used as a topping for cakes and pastries.
  • It makes a delicious milkshake.
  • It is used to make ice creams.
  • It is used in making preservatives
  • It is used to flavour chocolates and candies.
  • It is also used to add flavour to hand sanitizers and perfumes.
  • It is used to make pies and puddings.
  • It is used to add flavour to lip gloss, lip colours and perfumes.
  • The flavour is used in many other foods, beverages, confections and cosmetics.

Health benefits –

100g of strawberry has about 33 kilocalories. It is an excellent source of vitamin C. It also contains manganese, other vitamins, dietary minerals and essential fatty acids. This fruit is high in nutrients and low in calories. Strawberry is good for –

  • Reduces risk of Cardiovascular diseases
  • Lessens the effects of Inflammation and ulcers.
  • Controls your hypertension and blood pressure.
  • It can prevent cancer.
  • It is a good fruit for people suffering from Diabetes.
  • You can manage your allergies and asthma too by regularly eating strawberries.
  • It relieves you from constipation.
  • Can lessen the effects of depression.
  • Strawberry also has anti aging factors.
  • It promotes the health of your bone.
  • It is a very good fruit for women who are pregnant.

Instant serving ideas –

  • Add chopped strawberries in to your green salad.
  • Blend strawberries and use it as a sauce on your favouring ice creams.
  • Add chopped strawberries to your cereal.

 You can find more than 600 varieties of strawberries across the world. So, do not forget to include this magical fruit in your fruit baskets. It is going to improve your beauty as well as health.

Kiwi- the king of fruits

April 26th, 2016

With a botanical name – Actinidia chinensis, kiwi is a very healthy fruit, or rather berry, that you can include in your daily diet. Next time you go to buy fruits, do not forget to add a kiwi fruit into your fruit basket. The fruit is not only famous for its tasty flavour, but also the many health benefits that it has on our body. The ancient Chinese called it as Yang Tao. The fruit originated from China but is majorly seen in New Zealand. The missionaries in New Zealand introduced it to the world in the early 20th century. It came into the US in the late 1960s.

 History –

The fruit was known as Chinese gooseberry earlier. But, later on, it got its new name from New Zealand’s native bird kiwi. Today, the fruit is grown in many countries such as Italy, France, Japan, Chile and the US. The fruit comes in majorly two varieties, green and gold. It grows on woody vines and is of an egg shape and size.

 Appearance –

Kiwi is brown and hairy on the outer side. The oval fruit is about the size of a tennis balls. The inside of the fruit is lime green with many small black seeds. It is sweet to taste, just like a strawberry.

 Uses –

  • Eaten fresh as a fruit.
  • Used in salads.
  • Used as a topping in cakes and pastries.
  • Used to make pies, pastries, milkshakes and ice creams.
  • Used to tenderize meat as it has acitidin.

 Health benefits –

  • Kiwi is very rich in vitamins. It gives you 273% of your daily vitamin c requirements.
  • It is an immunity booster fruit that keeps colds and flu at bay. Kiwi is highly recommended for people suffering from dengue.
  •  With high amounts of vitamin k, kiwi helps in easy blood clotting and coagulation.
  • The Vitamin A also present in reasonable amounts is great for your bones and tooth.
  • It is also good for your vision.
  • It can help you sleep better.
  • The kiwi fruit is good for the health of your skin
  • It prevents macular degeneration.
  • Vitamin E and potassium balance the body’s electrolytes and hypertension.
  • Kiwi is especially good for children and infant growth.
  • It benefits foetus, pregnant and breastfeeding women.
  • Avoids heart disease and cancer.
  • It prevents constipation. it is a good source of dietary fibre.

 Instant kiwi serving ideas –

 

  • Add sliced kiwi into your salads.
  • Slice kiwi and strawberries, top them with some cream and enjoy the scrumptious dessert.
  • Kiwi, pineapple and oranges can be blended to make a sauce that goes well with chicken and fish grills.
  • Blend a smoothie of the kiwi fruit and beat the summer heat.

Kiwi however contains high amounts of fructose, which is not very good for your health, and hence, must be consumed in moderation. 100g of kiwi contains about 70 calories. So, include only one kiwi in your fruit basket UK per day.

Most Loved Types of Mangoes in the World

April 25th, 2016

Mango is regarded as the king of fruits. In fact, it is the national fruit of Philippines, Pakistan and India. It is found in different colours, shapes and sizes. It is consumed in various forms like juice, smoothies, puddings, milk shakes, ice creams, salads and many more. It can be used to fill up a fruit basket.

Top mango varieties of the world are:

  • Alphonso: This mango is the topper of the charts with its exquisite taste, aroma and flavour. It is produced in Gujarat and Maharashtra in India because of suitable climatic conditions. It is cultivated in a unique manner. It is the most widely exported mango variety in the world.
  • Ataulfo: This intense yellow mango is loved by everyone for its creamy and sweet flavour. It has a smooth texture making it ideal for raw consumption as well as salads. It is grown primarily in Mexico.
  • Francis: Grown all over Haiti, it has a rich sweet and spicy taste. Oblong in shape and vibrant yellow in colour, it has highly fibrous flesh and is used to make chutneys.
  • Glen: It has a peachy, sweet and silky flavour which renders it very popular. It is pink or red in colour and oblong to oval in shape. Grown in Florida, it is available from May to June.
  • Haden: Having rich texture and fragrant aroma, it is good for raw consumption as well as for cooking. It has firm flesh and fine fibres. It is intense red in colour with yellow and green overtones and small dots in white. It is found in Mexico and South Florida.
  • Keitt: It is grown in USA and Mexico. It is loved when both green and ripe and as raw as well as pickles. It finds great popularity in Asian cuisine. It has juicy and firm flesh which has fruity and sweet flavour with limited fibre. It is medium to dark green with a pink blush.
  • Kent: It has a rich and sweet flavour with juicy flesh and limited fibre. It is good for juicing and baking. It is dark green with deep red blush. Mostly produced in Peru, Ecuador and Mexico.
  • Kesar: Grown mostly in Gujarat state of India. It has a round shape and small size. It is a great export, because of its extreme sweetness. It has yellow patches on the skin but when ripe, becomes vibrant yellow.
  • Madam Francique: Cultivated mostly in Haiti, it is called as ‘dessert mango ‘as it is a popular ingredient in desserts. It has a rich spicy and sweet taste, which has a rare tangy twist.
  • Tommy Atkins: Originating from Florida, it is the most commercially exported type to the US. It has a mild sweet flavour with firm, fibrous flesh. It is grown widely in Mexico and Latin America. It comes in different shades with dark red blush.
  • Valencia Pride: It originated in Florida. It is large in size and skin features a big red blush but some are also yellow in colour. It lacks fibre and has a smooth, juicy texture with a delicious aroma.

These are some popular varieties of mangos which are good to make fruit baskets. Mangos are great items to send to a loved one.

Some Really Interesting Facts about Grapes

April 22nd, 2016

Grapes are a type of berry of woody, deciduous vines, belonging to the genus Vitis. They are very tasty, eaten raw or in the form of juice, jam, wine, jelly, grape seed oil, vinegar and raisins.  Grapes are thus very versatile type of fruits. They make for ideal ingredients in fruit baskets.

But here are some less known, interesting facts about grapes:

  • Grapes are classified botanically as berries: They are a type of berry with fleshy inside and leathery cover, much like blue-berries.
  • There are around 8000 varieties of grapes, found in around 60 species. Major types are European and American.
  • One cup of grapes has only 100 calories but is rich in anti-oxidants, vitamins C and K.
  • One bottle of wine takes 2. 5 pounds of grapes to make it.
  • Raisins refer to dried grapes which are left to cure in sunlight.
  • Grapes come in a variety of colours: purple, pink, yellow, green, black, etc.
  • Most grapes originate from cultivars made of Vitis Vinifera, the grape vine native to Central Asia and the Mediterranean.
  • Around 71% of grapes cultivated in the world are used to make wine, 2% as dried fruit and 27% as fresh fruit.
  • The most widely cultivated grape variety is the Sultanas, also called as Thompson seedless.
  • Grapes are divided into table grapes and wine grapes. Table grapes are eaten raw, are seedless and have less sugar content than wine grapes which are seeded and used to make wine.
  • Grapes are vegetatively propagated by cutting and lack of seeds does not hinder reproduction. At present, there are over a dozen types of seedless grapes which you can include in a basket of fruit.
  • Grape juice is fermented to make wine, vinegar or brandy.
  • Dried grapes contain around 15% water.
  • The making of wine started from as back as 5000 BC.
  • Grapes help lower risk of heart attacks by increasing levels of nitric acid in the blood which prevent formation of blood clots.
  • Grapes are used to cure indigestion, asthma, migraine, fatigue and kidney disease.
  • They contain low levels of fat, sodium and cholesterol.
  • They can have laxative effect when consumed in a large quantity.
  • Grapes have 80% content of water and make for a good low calorie snack.
  • An acre of grape plantation can make 15,000 cups of wine.
  • The global wine industry produces over 70 million tons a year.
  • The grape industry is the biggest food based industry in the world.
  • Australia makes over 1 billion litres of wine annually.
  • Napa Valley in California has the highest concentration of wineries in the world (over 200).
  • Grapes are rich in phyto-nutrients like Poly-phenolic anti-oxidants, minerals and vitamins. One phyto-nutrient is Resveratrol, which protects body from cancer, heart disease, Alzheimer, etc. Another group is Anthocyanins, which have anti-microbial, anti-inflammatory and anti-allergic qualities.

These are some uncommon facts about grapes- one of the world’s most popular fruits.