Features That You Should Have on Your Hot Dog Street Vending Cart

In deciding on whether you want to get a hot dog push cart or a trailer towed cart, here are some features that you should also consider:

Features That You Should Have on Your Hot Dog Street Vending Cart

Features That You Should Have on Your Hot Dog Street Vending Cart

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Features That You Should Have on Your Hot Dog Street Vending Cart

Features That You Should Have on Your Hot Dog Street Vending Cart

Hot Dog Broiler

A Food cart will often include a broiler for keeping those dogs toasty. The hot dog broiler is your classic "heat box" where the dogs rotate on sticks. As they rotate, they get close to the broiling area where they get heated through.

Hot Dog Steamer

A Steamer works on a different principle. It uses hot steam to cook the dogs. This will also be a common fixture on your cart.

Bun Warmer

A bun warmer is an important part of the cart setup for sellers who want to create the best experience for their patrons. It keeps the buns crisp and presentable. It is often attached to a larger commercial machine.

Continuous Welding

This is a welding method where the weld goes all along a seam to provide added strength. This is used on some street vending carts to make sure they stand up to the pressures of the road.

Hot dog carts should ideally be:

Built from durable materials that resist corrosion
Able to withstand constant use and abuse
Hygienic
Easy to clean

To achieve these qualities, most carts are made of stainless steel. But some carts also have parts made from plastic, wood or fiberglass. Vending carts may vary from a lightweight push cart at about 200 lbs (90 kg) to fully enclosed walk-in carts weighing half a ton or more.

Health code regulations are usually dictated by state and county health departMents and, as a result, they vary widely across the United States and Canada. In addition to determining the kind of Food to be served, these local codes often specify the types of equipMent that should be installed on a mobile Food cart.

These mandated health regulations also ensure that the Food cart has built-in facilities for appropriate hygiene standards, the equipMent and utensils being used, and the operator handling the food.

This may include hot and cold running water, an insulated ice box, and a number of separate sinks for washing hands and utensils. Some jurisdictions even clearly specify that a cart have as many as four sinks.

Local or state codes may also require that a food cart be approved by a quality assurance agency such as NSF International (National Sanitation Foundation). Local health codes may also require:

The cart to be physically inspected by the local health department; and
A cart operator should attend a training course in safe food handling and preparation.

Choosing between a push cart and tow cart as your next hot dog cart will basically depend on your space requirements and budget.

Features That You Should Have on Your Hot Dog Street Vending Cart

Five Great Summer Rice Dishes

Rice is one of those fantastic Foods which goes with just about anything and makes summertime meal preparation quick and easy. Who wants to spend hours in a hot kitchen when the sun is shining and there's laughter in the Air?

Five Great Summer Rice Dishes

Five Great Summer Rice Dishes

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Five Great Summer Rice Dishes

Five Great Summer Rice Dishes

Here are five great rice dishes to make summertime meals quick and delicious.

#1 Gallo Pinto
In Costa Rica rice is a staple, they even have it for breakFast. This tasty dish will help you start your day on the right foot.

Step One: Make one cup of white rice.

Step Two: You can make this ahead of time, the night before, and store it in your refrigerator. Sautee one small chopped onion in one tbsp of olive oil.

Step Three: Add one can of rinsed and drained black beans and one package of adobo sauce with cilantro and one tbsp of Lizano sauce. This is a salsa commonly found in Costa Rica. You can find it in your grocer or online.

Step Four: Refrigerate or set aside.

Step Five: Scramble two eggs in a nonstick pan. Add bean mixture and rice to egg mixture and serve.

#2 Chile-Cheese Burritos with Rice

Step One: Cook 1 cup of white rice.

Step Two: Sautee ½ cup shredded zucchini, ½ cup thinly sliced green onions, and 1 tbsp of canned chopped green chilies in a non-stick pan coated with Cooking spray.

Step Three: Add rice to sautéed vegetables, cook for one minute, remove from heat and add 3 tbsp sour cream.

Step Four: Warm flour tortillas according to package directions. Place rice mixture in the center of the tortilla, top with 1 oz of Monterey jack cheese and roll up.

Step Five: Serve with chopped tomatoes, shredded lettuce and a Dollop of salsa - enjoy!

#3 Fried Rice

This wonderfully easy recipe is great for leftover rice and makes a great quick and easy meal.

Step One: Heat 1 teaspoon of vegetable oil over medium high heat in large skillet or wok.

Step Two: Add one or two eggs to pan (depending on how eggy you like your fried rice) and 1 teaspoon of dark sesame oil. Stir fry for two minutes.

Step Three: Add three cups of cold rice and stir fry for three minutes.

Step Four: Add vegetables of choice to rice. Common ingredients include ½ cup peas, ¼ cup diced carrot, and ¼ cup chopped onion.

Step Five: Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve with soy sauce - enjoy!

#4 Summertime Rice Salad

Cold rice? You betcha! This great salad is best served cold and jam packed with healthy seasonal vegetables.

Step One: Cook two cups of white rice.

Step Two: Chop and combine 2 green onions, 2 to 3 cloves of garlic, crushed and finely minced, 1 small summer squash, 1 large tomato, 1/2 red bell pepper, 1 cup spinach leaves, rolled together tightly and very thinly sliced, 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley, 1 small carrot, grated or minced.

Step Three: In a small bowl combine: 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice and 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil.

Step Four: Pour lemon juice and oil Dressing over vegetables. Cover and refrigerate for 30-60 minutes.

Step Five: Add rice to vegetable mixture and refrigerate or serve immediately.

#5 Rice Pudding.

We've covered breakFast, lunch, dinner and a salad, it's time for dessert and what's better than rice pudding?

Step One: Cook ¾ cup of your favorite rice. Basmati makes the best pudding.

Step Two: Combine 6 egg yolks and ¼ cup sugar in a small bowl and beat until smooth.

Step Three: Add the rice to the egg mixture and place in a shallow baking dish or pie pan.

Step Four: Place dish containing egg and rice mixture in a larger dish and add boiling water until it reaches halfway up the side of the egg mixture dish.

Step Five: Bake in a 250 degree oven for about an hour. Insert a knife in the center of the pudding. If it is done the knife will come out clean.

Step Six: Refrigerate until thoroughly chilled.

Step Seven: Before serving sprinkle pudding with brown sugar and place under a pre-heated broiler for about one minute. Watch closely so it doesn't burn! Serve warm or cold.

Rice makes a fine foundation for a wide range of meals, while it can certainly be enjoyed year around the simplicity makes it a great base for many summertime meals.

Five Great Summer Rice Dishes