Macaroni and cheese is a simple and delicious dish.
In cities that hold yearly Summer carnivals, tent food sales are common. A food tent gives hungry passers-by an opportunity to obtain refreshment, while the city earns revenue. In smaller cities, the revenue earned at a facility such as a food tent can be quite important, as some Summer carnivals are large enough to bring visitors from miles around. With all of this riding on your event, you want to make sure that your food tent caters to as many different tastes as possible.
Macaroni and Cheese
Macaroni and cheese is a comfort food for both the young and old, and macaroni and cheese made from scratch tastes far better than the boxed variety. Customers know this and will be encouraged to buy a small portion as either a light meal or a side dish. Consider making the macaroni and cheese in large batches prior to the event and freezing it for reheating. Freeze the batches in large foil dishes and reheat in a convection or toaster oven. Serve in plastic or foam bowls with forks. One serving of macaroni and cheese weighs 8 oz, or one-half pound. You will need one pound of macaroni and cheese for every two sales that you expect to make.
Hot Dogs
Hot dogs are one of the most popular concession stand foods around and can function extremely well as a tent sale food because the customers do the majority of the work. Customers need only be given the cooked hot dug in a bun, and cashiers are free to move on quickly to a new customer. Fill a condiment table with ketchup, mustard, onions, relish and sauerkraut, and let customers dress their hot dogs to taste. Consider purchasing bags of potato chips in bulk to offer customers as a side dish. Stock at least one hot dog and one bag of chips for each sale you expect to make, and bring a few extras as well--some customers will order two hot dogs. When serving hot dogs in large quantities, use a cooking method that allows you to stagger starting each hot dog by a few seconds such as an electric griddle. You might also use a charcoal or gas grill. Transfer the completed hot dogs to buns using metal or plastic serving tongs.
Sandwiches
Like macaroni and cheese, sandwiches can largely be assembled in advance, before the event. Select a few meat, bread and cheese combinations and assemble them before the event begins. Avoid storing the sandwiches with vegetables, as the bread can become soggy. Instead, keep a few bowls stocked with cut vegetables and ask customers what they would like when they order. Bring extra vegetables, a cutting board and knives to the event in case you run out of a sandwich topping. For serving, because sandwiches are difficult to handle with tools, use plastic gloves and transfer them to plates by hand. Suggested sandwich toppings include lettuce, tomato, onions, mustard and mayonnaise. You might also consider giving each customer a bag of chips as a side dish. Prepare at least one sandwich for every sale you expect to make.
Snow Cones
While cotton candy may be considered the quintessential carnival food to sell from a tent, snow cones could arguably be more successful during the hot Summer months. A great snow cone usually requires an ice grinder or shaver specifically tailored for the job, but you can use a powerful blender in a pinch. Grind ice as finely as possible and pack it into a paper cone. Drizzle flavored syrup over the top and serve. Flavored syrup is available at many coffee shops. Alternatively, look for it at a restaurant supply store, where you can also find a snow cone machine. If your local restaurant supply outlet does not carry snow cone machines, you can purchase one online. You will also need paper cones for serving. When purchasing supplies, purchase two pounds of ice for every five customers you expect to serve, and one quart of flavored syrup for every 20 customers. Each snow cone should contain approximately 6 oz of crushed ice and 1.5 oz of syrup.
Tags: snow cone, expect make, food tent, macaroni cheese, side dish, before event