Well Seasoned

Did you recently get some new pizza pans or screens that need to be seasoned? Start by washing them in warm water and mild soap to remove any manufacturing lubricant or dirt. Rinse right away and towel dry. Then pass the screens through the oven to heat and further dry. Now, you’re ready to season. First, wipe the screens or pans with a towel that has been saturated with salad oil. Put them in a 425 F oven for 15 minutes. Stack them after they are finished. Next, crank the oven up to your normal baking temperature and put the screens and pans back in for another 15 minutes. They’re ready to go!

Remember, don’t wash your seasoned pans and screens. Instead, clean them by placing them in the oven at the end of the day and sanitizing them with the heat. If you have to wash them, don’t soak — this will cause the seasoning to peel off. The more you use your seasoned screens or pans, the darker they’ll become. That’s a good thing. As they blacken, you’ll likely find that the bake time can be decreased slightly to compensate for the faster heat absorption.

Don’t Cry

You may be considering using onion to enhance the flavor of your tomato sauce. Keep in mind, however, that onion can add either sweetness or bitterness to a sauce, so proceed with caution. Fresh onions that have been chopped and sautéed with a pinch of sugar until very soft will add sweetness to a tomato-based sauce. Onions that are put in a sauce raw will cause a sauce to taste bitter. Best to avoid that

Power Savers

Looking to cut your energy usage/bill? Who isn’t? Here are some quick tips:
? Closing air vents in unoccupied rooms, such as a party room, can save 10 percent on cooling costs.
? Raising the thermostat by one degree can save 2 percent on cooling costs.
? A breeze created by a ceiling fan can make a customer feel just as comfortable at a temperature 6 F warmer.
? Using a dehumidifier can make customers feel more comfortable at a warmer temperature.

Give it Away

As a business owner, your first inclination certainly isn’t to give away free food. After all, you don’t pay your bills if you don’t make money. That said, keep in mind that there’s no marketing buzzword more powerful than “free.” If you are doing a direct mailing, scrap the usual “10 percent off” offer — it trains your customers to expect a discount every time. Before long, your customers are conditioned to only buy from you when they have a coupon. Instead, offer a free order of breadsticks or garlic knots with the purchase of a large pizza. You’ll still make a profit and your customers won’t expect a freebie every time.