Published on: 04 May 2020
Last Updated on: 23 January 2023
Whether you make cakes for friends and family or run a business supplying cakes for celebrations, you’ll know how much work goes into making each and every one of your creations. That’s why it’s so important to package your cakes in a way that keeps them in perfect condition, so they can be taken home by the customer or delivered to a venue without getting squashed or the decorations getting ruined. Here are some tips to help you properly pack your cakes.
Here are The Best Ways Cake Makers Can Pack Their Cakes:
1. Use cake boxes
Those who are serious about running a cake business should consider looking for wholesale cake boxes, which are a good way of packing up your treats. You need to ensure you get the right size box for the best results. A box that is too big will mean the cake can move around and get damaged, but you should leave a little extra space to be able to take the cake in and out of the box.
Also, consider the kind of products you’re selling and what type of box would work best. For example, you can buy boxes for cupcakes, individual slices, and even wedge-shaped boxes for bakeries that offer takeaways.
Presentation is key when it comes to cakes. If you’re selling cakes that are given as gifts, choose boxes with windows so the product can be seen, and consider using decorative touches such as bows.
2. Secure cakes for transport
It’s also important to make sure cakes are secure when you pack them, as they are likely to be transported in a car or carried around. You should use a cake board, which can be decorated nicely for a professional finish, as this will stop the cake from rattling round in the box.
3. Transport cakes carefully
If you are delivering the cake yourself, here are some ways you can keep it looking good:
Never stack a tiered cake before you put it in your car or van – put each tier in separate boxes then stack at the venue
Place the box on a flat surface, for example, in the boot of your car
Make sure there aren’t any other objects in the boot that could squash your cake
Use a non-slip surface such as a yoga mat underneath the cake box
Drive carefully and avoid sudden braking
4. Finish off the cake box with decorations
While a plain cake box is nice and neat and professional, you may also want to add some decorative touches, especially if you’re making themed seasonal cakes. For example, during the Christmas period, you could add a red bow or sprig of holly, or during the wedding season, you could add a trim of lace. This will just finish off the presentation and make sure it looks special.
When it comes to making cakes, presentation is everything, so it’s worth spending a little more to get high-quality boxes and ensuring things like cake boards are used, so when the cake arrives at the customer’s home, everything is perfect.
Mashum Mollah is the feature writer of Search Engine Magazine and an SEO Analyst at Real Wealth Business. Over the last 3 years, He has successfully developed and implemented online marketing, SEO, and conversion campaigns for 50+ businesses of all sizes. He is the co-founder of Social Media Magazine.
Wine is the key to a perfect dinner. A glass of wine will decorate any dish and make it play with brand new gastronomic overtones. In general, sometimes it is possible and even necessary to pamper yourself.
Unfortunately, when we come to a supermarket or wine boutique (which gives a lot more bonuses to wine karma), the perfect bottle of wine does not begin to flicker with lights and shine in the rays of designer lamps. You have to look for it yourself, the perfect bottle of wine. It is not an easy task for beginners.
Here are How to Choose the Right Wine:
First of all, you need to understand what you are buying wine for. For dinner, for a picnic, to have a drink with light snacks or as a gift. And of course, it is best to buy wine where there is a specialist who will help you make a choice, especially if you want to pick up the wine for a particular dish or as a gift.
What to look for if you choose the wine in a supermarket? First of all, it's worth dropping the prejudices about "powdery" or fake wines, screw plugs, and counterfeit labels. All wine is real: just eat high-quality wines and eat low. As a rule, it is a question of price and place of origin of the wine. Also, many mistakenly believe that if the wine is sold at a special price, it means that something is wrong with it, and it is trying to "drain". If the wine is sold at a special price, it means that the shop has just bought a large volume of wine at a very favorable price. It's in their interest just to sell it quickly.
The origin of the wine is very important. To choose, for example, French or Italian wine, you need at least a little understanding of the regions, as very often the label indicates only the place of origin, where the wine is produced in a particular style and from specific grape varieties. If you do not yet have such knowledge, make a more confident purchase easier by focusing on mono wines from the New World. The label almost always indicates the grape variety and place of origin.
If you like light white wines, try the Chilean or New Zealand sauvignon blanc. Denser wines are torontes from Argentina and Chen Blanc from South Africa, while the dense California chardonnay aged in oak can even go well with white meat (chicken, pork) in cream sauce. Break the stereotype of combining red with meat, and white with fish: oily redfish (tuna, salmon), along with dense white wines are well suited to light red wines from grape varieties "Pinot Noir", "Gamet" or light "Cabernet France" from Nice (France).
If you like rich red wines, try the Chilean Carmenaire, the Argentinean Malbec, the South African Pinottage, or the Australian Shiraz. These wines are juicy and bright, they are easy to understand and pleasant to drink for nothing, they are also suitable for a picnic or a feast, where it is impossible to choose a wine for a huge variety of dishes. Cabernet Sauvignon is another popular red grape variety that will fit well with red meat. It is grown in many countries, as it is not very whimsical, so its character may vary from light and fragrant to complex and requires long aging in the bottle.
By the way, about aging. A year is important for good wines from regions with an unstable climate, and it is better to contact specialists. Different varieties behave differently over time. In general, it is better to drink white wines as young as possible, and red wines need some time, during which certain chemical processes take place, due to which wine changes and tastes more pleasant.
However, one should not forget that wine is a living product. After some time, it ceases to acquire and begins to lose its good qualities. So it is not always useful to keep an expensive bottle of wine for a long time in the hope that over time it will only get better. New World wines (both white and red) can mostly be drunk by the young.
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It may or may not surprise you that each American eats an average of 35 pounds of cheese a year. There are lots of ways to eat cheese - with crackers, on sandwiches, deep fried, in salads- so this really isn't too high a statistic considering all the things you can do with this tasty food.
If you're one of the many people who loves cheese, you might be a little worried that it will hurt your health one day. Well, the good news is that you're probably worried for nothing - it might even have the opposite effect!
Here are seven awesome benefits of cheese that you probably didn't know about.
1. Good For Skin And Hair:
One thing that cheese is really good for is helping to keep your skin and hair healthy. Cheese is great for the skin because it contains lots of Vitamin B, which helps your skin stay healthy and glowing. It helps get rid of acne and other skin problems by helping the healthy skin cells grow.
Cheese also has protein in it. When we think of protein, we tend to think of beef or pork, but cheese is actually more healthy than these things and gives you a slimmer, healthier alternative. Cheese has calcium, too, which is great for keeping your hair healthy and shining.
2. Helps Bones and Teeth:
Cheese is also helpful in maintaining healthy bones and teeth. If you eat only one ounce of Parmesan cheese, you get 336 milligrams of calcium, which becomes even more the more cheese you eat. Other types of cheese come close, too.
This is good for your bones because normal healthy men need 1,000 milligrams of calcium a day to keep their bones in shape. So, eating just three ounces of cheese will fill all your needs for the day!
Along with phosphorous, another chemical found in cheese, calcium helps to prevent the enamel on your teeth from wearing down. In the end, this means fewer cavities and money spent on dentist visits for you.
3. Helps Maintain Healthy Weight:
People tend to hate the idea of gaining weight, but the truth is that everyone needs to have fat in their bodies to survive. Well, cheese can help you to maintain a healthy weight and have the healthy fats that you need for temperature regulation and a good immune system.
Some people are even looking to gain weight, and cheese is a good way to do it in a healthy way. It has a good amount of fat and protein, which can help to strengthen your muscles.
4. Lowers Risk Of Heart Problems:
Heart disease, the biggest killer in the US, is a terrifying idea for anyone. The good news is that eating cheese can lower your risk of getting it and maybe extend your life.
A study from 2017 actually showed that people who eat a little cheese each day have a 14% lower chance of developing heart disease. It might be a worthwhile investment!
On a related note, eating cheese also helps to lower your risk of having a heart attack. Maybe deep-fried cheeses like mozzarella sticks aren't the way to go, but cheese and crackers? Eat a little bit of those every day - you just might be saving your own life!
5. Benefits of Cheese Against Cancer:
While we're on the topic of saving your life, eating cheese also lowers your risk of developing certain cancers later in life. Cheese is rich in the antioxidants that fight cancer cells in your body. This means that they won't fester and hurt the healthy cells that your body needs.
Right now, there are more studies that are supporting the idea that eating cheese has an effect on the development and prevention of colon cancer. Who knew that something so delicious also might just help you have a longer, healthier life?
6. Lots Of Variety:
Another super cool thing about cheese is that there is a lot of variety when it comes to picking a kind you like. Like something flavorful and sophisticated? You might like an aged Gouda or cheddar. Something to spread on crackers or dip bread in? Brie or Gorgonzola might be for you!
One of the absolute best things to look into when considering your cheeses is French cheese. Everyone knows that no country does "classy" quite like France, so why not take a stab at cheese from a country known for its high-end cuisine?
From strong to smooth, you're sure to find a type of cheese that pairs well with other aspects of your diet.
7. Pairs Well With Fruit:
Though this isn't strictly a health benefit of cheese in and of itself, cheese is really good because it pairs well with fruit. Fruit is healthy because different fruits contain lots of different vitamins. Vitamins A and C, to name a couple, are really common.
Lots of people need something rich to pair with the sweetness of fruit, and that's where cheese comes in. It's perfect to contrast flavors with the sweet, tangy fruits, which might lead to you wanting to eat more of them and get those great vitamins.
Cheese Is The Best!
From this intel, you've probably gathered that your phobia that cheese is bad for you is just that: an irrational fear. If you want all these great health benefits, cheese is actually food you should be seeking out!
Now that you know all about the wonders cheese can do for your health, you might want to check out this article about variants of everyone's favorite cheesy dish - pizza!
Now count with me. Three, two, one... say cheese!
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If there is something that I have learned in life, it is about gardening. Well, almost everything if not all. And if there is one thing that took me some time to master, it was knowing how to harvest potatoes at home!
Potatoes are one of the most versatile and popular vegetables in the world. They can be cooked in many different ways, such as boiled, baked, fried, mashed, or roasted. Moreover, they are also rich in carbohydrates, fiber, vitamin C, potassium, and antioxidants.
But how do you grow and harvest your own potatoes at home? You see, potatoes are not like cilantro or other plants. These are tubers.
In this article, I will show you everything you need to know about how to harvest potatoes, from planting to storage.
So, if that is something that you are interested in knowing, then I have you covered! Keep on reading this blog till the end to learn more...
How to Plant Potato Seeds or Tubers?
The first step in how to harvest potatoes is to plant them. You can start with either potato seeds or tubers. Potato seeds are small, round, and black, and they are usually sold in packets.
Potato tubers are the actual potatoes that you eat, and they have eyes or buds that can sprout new plants.
You can buy certified seed potatoes from a nursery or garden center, or use organic potatoes from the grocery store.
Here are some if the steps that you must take to plant them:
Planting Potato Seeds
To plant potato seeds, you need to sow them indoors in pots or trays filled with moist potting soil.
Place them in a sunny spot and keep the soil moist but not soggy.
The seeds will germinate in about two weeks and produce small green shoots.
When the shoots are about 3 inches tall, you can transplant them outdoors in your garden or in containers.
Planting Potato Tubers
To plant potato tubers, you need to cut them into pieces, each with at least one eye.
You can do this a few days before planting to let the cut surfaces heal and prevent rotting. Alternatively, you can plant whole small potatoes with several eyes.
To prepare the soil, you need to loosen it and add some organic matter, such as compost or manure.
You also need to make sure the soil is well-drained and slightly acidic, with a pH of 5.0 to 6.0.
You can use a soil test kit to check the pH level and adjust it with lime or sulfur if needed.
Planting Potato Pieces
To plant the potato pieces, you need to dig a trench about 4 inches deep and 12 inches wide.
Place the pieces about 12 inches apart, with the eyes facing up.
Cover them with 3 inches of soil and water well.
As the plants grow, you need to hill up the soil around them to cover the lower stems and prevent the tubers from being exposed to sunlight, which can turn them green and bitter.
You can also mulch the soil with straw, leaves, or grass clippings to retain moisture and suppress weeds.
How to Care for Your Potato Plants?
The second step in how to harvest potatoes is to care for your potato plants. You need to water them regularly, especially during dry spells, to keep the soil moist but not waterlogged. You also need to fertilize them every two weeks with a balanced organic fertilizer, such as fish emulsion or seaweed extract. Also, you can add some wood ash or bone meal to provide extra potassium and phosphorus, which are essential for tuber formation.
You also need to protect your potato plants from pests and diseases, which can reduce your yield and quality. Some of the common potato pests are:
Colorado potato beetles, which are yellow and black striped insects that feed on the leaves and can defoliate the plants. You can handpick them and drop them in a bucket of soapy water, or use an organic insecticide, such as neem oil or pyrethrin.
Potato leafhoppers, which are small, green, winged insects that suck the sap from the leaves and cause them to curl and yellow. You can spray them with a strong jet of water, or use an organic insecticide, such as garlic or hot pepper spray.
Wireworms, which are thin, brown, worm-like larvae that bore into the tubers and cause holes and tunnels. You can trap them with pieces of carrot or potato buried in the soil, or use beneficial nematodes, which are microscopic worms that parasitize and kill the wireworms.
Common Potato Diseases
One of the most common reasons why a potato cannot grow or survive is the diseases. If you were wondering what some of these can be and how to deal with them, I have you covered!
Some of the common potato diseases are:
Late Blight: It is a fungal disease that causes brown spots on the leaves and stems, and black or brown lesions on the tubers. It can spread rapidly and destroy the entire crop. You can prevent it by planting resistant varieties, avoiding overhead watering, and removing any infected plants and tubers. You can also use a fungicide, such as copper or sulfur, as a preventive measure.
Scab: This is a bacterial disease that causes rough, corky patches on the tubers. It does not affect the taste or edibility of the potatoes, but it reduces their appearance and storage quality. You can prevent it by planting resistant varieties, maintaining a slightly acidic soil pH, and avoiding excessive nitrogen fertilization.
Potato Virus Y: Lastly, this is a viral disease that causes mosaic patterns, mottling, or yellowing on the leaves, and misshapen or knobby tubers. It can reduce the yield and quality of the potatoes, and it can be transmitted by aphids or infected seed potatoes. You can prevent it by planting certified virus-free seed potatoes, controlling aphids, and removing any infected plants and tubers.
How to Determine When Your Potatoes Are Ready to Harvest?
The third step in how to harvest potatoes is to determine when they are ready to harvest. This depends on the type and variety of potatoes you planted, and the size and maturity you want.
There are two main types of potatoes: early and late.
Early potatoes are ready to harvest in about 10 to 12 weeks (about 3 months) after planting, and they produce small to medium-sized tubers that are tender and thin-skinned. They are best for boiling, steaming, or roasting.
Late potatoes are ready to harvest in about 15 to 20 weeks (about 4 and a half months) after planting, and they produce large, starchy tubers that are firm and thick-skinned. They are best for baking, mashing, or frying.
Early Harvesting
To harvest early potatoes, you can start digging them up when the plants begin to flower, or when the lower leaves start to yellow.
You can use a garden fork or a spade to gently lift the plants and tubers from the soil, or you can use your hands to feel for the tubers under the soil.
You can harvest as many or as few potatoes as you need, and leave the rest in the ground until you are ready to use them.
You can also harvest some of the young, tender leaves and stems, which are edible and nutritious.
Late Harvesting
To harvest late potatoes, you need to wait until the plants have died back completely, or until the first frost.
This allows the tubers to develop a thicker skin, which helps them store better.
You can use a garden fork or a spade to dig up the entire row of plants and tubers, or you can use a potato digger, which is a special tool that lifts and separates the tubers from the soil.
You need to be careful not to damage or bruise the tubers, as this can cause rotting or spoilage.
How to Dig Up, Cure, and Store Your Potatoes?
The final step in how to harvest potatoes is to dig up, cure, and store your potatoes. This is important to preserve the quality and shelf life of your potatoes, and to prevent them from sprouting, rotting, or shrinking. Here are the steps to follow:
Digging Up
After digging up your potatoes, you need to brush off any excess soil and remove any damaged, diseased, or green tubers.
Do not wash your potatoes, as this can remove the protective skin and invite bacteria and fungi. You can wash them just before cooking or eating them.
Curing
You need to cure your potatoes for about two weeks in a cool, dark, and well-ventilated place, such as a basement, garage, or shed.
This allows the skin to harden and heal any minor cuts or bruises and enhances the flavor and texture of the potatoes.
The ideal temperature for curing is between 50°F and 60°F, and the ideal humidity is between 80% and 90%.
You can spread your potatoes in a single layer on a newspaper, cardboard, or wooden crate, and avoid exposing them to light, which can turn them green and bitter.
Storing
You need to store your potatoes in a cool, dark, and dry place, such as a cellar, pantry, or closet. The ideal temperature for storage is between 40°F and 50°F, and the ideal humidity is between 65% and 70%.
You can store your potatoes in paper bags, cardboard boxes, mesh bags, or wooden crates, and check them regularly for any signs of sprouting, rotting, or shriveling.
You can also store your potatoes in a root cellar, which is an underground or partially underground structure that maintains a constant temperature and humidity.
Additionally, you can also store your potatoes in a clamp, which is a mound of straw, hay, or leaves covered with soil, that insulates and protects the potatoes from frost and rodents.
Wrapping It Up!
If you want to know about how to harvest potatoes, I hope that this blog has been of help to you. However, if there are any other queries related to the same, please feel free to let me know.
All that you need to do is scroll down till you reach the bottom of the page. Then leave your comments and suggestions in the box below. And I will be there to answer them all for you!
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