Chocolate Fountain Description and Help

Chocolate Fountain Description and Help
By: Edwin Hall
What is a chocolate Fountain?

A chocolate fountain is a device for serving chocolate fondue. It can come in many different sizes, mini, medium, large and extra large depending on the number of guests you wish to cater for. The fountain has multiple tiers over a heated basin at the bottom. The chocolate is melted in the basin and then pulled up through the augur and continuously flows over the tiers. When it flows over the tiers, guests are able to select a condiment they would like to dip into the fountain, using a skewer, they select a dip of their choice and coat their item in delicious, warm melted chocolate....heaven!

Essentially, a chocolate fountain is composed of two parts. The base is the motor and a heater. The heater is designed to transpose heat through the base to keep the chocolate in liquid form. The motor drives the screw in the upper part of the fountain. This is an Archimedes screw, weren't they clever! This is thought to have originated around 600 BC, I bet they never thought of a chocolate fountain then. The screw lies in a tight cylinder in a vertical fashion with several holes at the bottom of the screw. The screw lifts the chocolate to the top of the cylinder from where it flows over several plates and down the fountain to be recycled again. This is the basic premise of a chocolate fountain, because the chocolate is thick, there is no need for a pump as the screw is a better means for lifting the chocolate up.

Why have a chocolate fountain? Chocolate Fountains are a new and impressive form of entertainment, they create a fantastic focal point at any major event and provide your guest with a unique and interactive way of treating themselves to luxurious fondue chocolate. Chocolate fountains are a great solution for some weddings, they provide a wonderful desert or can be used for an evening buffet. Some people chose to have a chocolate fountain rather than a wedding cake, this is because chocolate fountains are interactive and people can help themselves as much as they like when the would like it

What should you consider when booking a chocolate fountain? We recommend you consider booking you chocolate fountain at least 12 months in advance, this is because they are extremely popular. To enable you to get a realistic quote you will need to provide the following details:
1. Number of guests the chocolate fountain is to cater for.
2. Location of event.
3. Date of event - (if it's a midweek event you may get a good discount).
4. Duration of event.

Most people book their chocolate fountain for the evening and on average, chocolate fountain companies hire their fountain for a period of 3 hours. However, every wedding/event is different, if you require your fountain during the day or for a longer period of time etc, please discuss this with the chocolate fountain company you have chosen

Home chocolate fountains are mini versions of the commercial ones used for weddings and events. Unfortunately there is a lot of rubbish out there and we get calls regularly from people saying that their mini fountain doesn't work. Here are a couple of things that will help. Only use a quality chocolate that is made specifically for chocolate fountains. This tends to be more expensive but it is the key to success. Chocolate purchased from your local supermarket doesn't work unless you put oil in it, a good quality fondue chocolate doesn't require oil. The poorer the quality chocolate, the more oil you require. This is in fact a contradiction because standard chocolate bars typically contain around 20% vegetable fat anyway, but you will still have to add more oil because of the high level of impurities. If this doesn't work, take the fountain back to the point of purchase and tell them that it is rubbish, maybe some of the high street chains will think again about selling consumers junk!

How do you get the most out of your home fountain. Ensure that you have a variety of dips available, the best to use are strawberries, grapes and other fruits such as pineapple and melon but fruit works really well with chocolate. Ensure that you have skewers and enough for your guests, these are readily available at a variety of shops, especially hardware shops that sell barbecues. Also ensure that you have some large napkins as you wouldn't want chocolate dripping all over your floor. Finally, presentation is key, make sure that your skewers are kept together and that you present your home fountain as clean and attractive on a surface that is easy to wipe to ensure that drips don't spoil your display.

Finally, after your event has finished, don't turn the fountain of and go to bed. Dispose of the chocolate whilst it is still in liquid form as this makes cleaning so much easier. Your fountain should also disassemble into separate parts, put everything except the motor assembly into a dishwasher or a sink full of hot and soapy water and then it should be easily to clean down. Before you pack your fountain away, make sure that it is completely clean and dry to prevent any contamination.
If you have any more questions, please don't hesitate to contact us at the Chocolate Fountain Directory or Chocolate Fountains of Devon for advice and information on suppliers.

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Author Bio

Edwin hall is the owner of the Chocolate fountain directory as well as being a part time surfer, father, husband, footballer and general good guy!

Article Source: http://www.ArticleGeek.com - Free Website Content

Toasting With Style With Toasting Glasses

Toasting With Style With Toasting Glasses
by: Amin Ramjee



Toasting is considered an art in any type of function or social event.
When toasting, the toast master gives a short but sweet speech to congratulate someone, signify a success, to celebrate and occasion and many other happy reasons that people find a need to toast. Toasting is not only done in dinner halls or during a reception or even in a meeting room. People toast to a certain something even in clubs-where friends gather around to relax and chill while sipping martini or drinking beer. Just the fact that you are with people you know and that a certain issue has risen and everyone around the table feels that it is a reason to toast; they raise their glasses above and bump their glasses together in unison. Toasting in informal situations has much less order or ethics compared to toasting for weddings and other formal occasions.

Weddings normally have a traditional toasting order, though this order has evolved in times to suit the times and the people. Toasting with style can be done in any means possible, so long as you have the creativity and the toasting glass to go with it. In weddings, traditionally, the best man does the first toasting followed by the maid-of-honor. But in recent times, the maid-of-honor has also taken up this role to toast the bride and the groom first. At certain events, both maid-of-honor and best man toast the newlyweds together.

Toasting glasses can be bought in many different stores according to the couple's preferences and taste. There are glasses that are etched, engraved, printed as well as the clear ones. In formal occasions such as a wedding, traditionally the best man goes first, then the maid-of-honor followed by the father of the bride. After this, the groom's parents can also toast the newly weds and the bride and groom may toast their parents and the guests.

For a special occasion such as your wedding, it will be great to have special toasting glasses. Apart from the traditional order of toasting, the traditional toasting glasses used for weddings are champagne glasses. But then again, it is up to the wedding couple to choose what they want
to use. Creativity has been taken to a whole new level where toasting glasses are concerned. Couples have chosen from martini glasses to margarita glasses, pilsner and even shot glasses - just stand out from the rest of the crowd.

The recent favorite of toasting glasses comes in the form of hand painted glasses. These glasses are not only used by the bride and groom but has been extended to include the parents and at times, given to all guests of the wedding reception. Hand painted toasting glasses allow the wedding couple to personalize their toasting process but to send out a personal message to all in attendance by giving these glasses as wedding favors. These glasses make for a great keepsake to the wedding couple as well as the guests to remember the wedding day for years to come. Personalizing your toasting glass is a great way of saying thank you to everyone who has put the effort in the planning, organizing and the overall celebration in making your wedding day a memorable one.

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About The Author
Amin is the author of Discountmugs.com. If you would like more
information about Toasting Glasses please visit
http://www.discountmugs.com and

http://www.discountmugs.com/nc/style/12-3/personalized-glassware/champagne-glasses/

Get Your Guests Home Safely

Get Your Guests Home Safely
by PartyFan


As everyone is aware these days, DWI is no laughing matter. What can you do to help your guests avoid this nightmare, yet still have a good time at your party? Lots of tips abound on the internet, like taking away car keys and returning them only to a sober driver, and many of these tips are reasonable and may help. Two sure-fire ways you can do this are to have your guests stay over, or provide them with safe transportation alternatives.

Having the guests stay over, if you have the room to do so, is a wonderful alternative. Offer incentives to do so, like an after-party brunch. An attractive breakfast spread does wonders for the participation level. Some sort of activity or special event can also be a great inducement. If the party is for a runner's club, a 5k run scheduled for the next morning might work. A trip to a local landmark most of your guests haven't visited, a shopping adventure, polar bear plunge, use your imagination and you'll probably be able to come up with something appropriate that will atract some of your group of guests into staying. A theme event, like a Slumber or Pajama Party can also work wonders. Once into the theme and having fun with it, your guests are much more likely to enjoy and comply with a stay the night request. Letting the guests know ahead of time that some sort of accommodations will be available is a must.

The other thing to do is arrange for your guests travel needs. This might not be the most attractive option if you are on a limited budget, but there are things you can do. Encourage designated drivers, of course. It is a good beginning but rarely enough to really address potential problems. If money isn't a problem, you are already laying out bucks for catering, a taco bar, or margarita machine, then get in touch with your local taxi companies and arrange for some vouchers or gift certificates and give them to your guests. The expense won't be much compared to what you are already spending, and if you're guests use them they'll be worth every penny. Letting guests know in advance, and taking RSVPs for the vouchers, is a good idea. You're guests will know they have a ride, which takes a load off their mind, and you'll know roughly how many to get. If the party location is convenient to other forms of public transportation, take advantage! Check the timetables to make sure they don't cut off at a time that might leave your guests stranded, then get day-passes or tokens for that bus, trolley, or subway, and give them out as party favors. If the guests know about this ahead of time, they may change their travel arrangements to take advantage. Convenient for them, and peace of mind for you.

With a little thought and planning, you can make sure your guests get home safely from your event, and do so without ruining the fun. You'll be happier, and so will your guests.

Why Party Invitations Are A Good Idea

Why Party Invitations Are A Good Idea
by PartyFan



Party invitations are considered proper etiquette, and there are many reasons why other than the generic "being polite". A well done, yet simple, invitation can provide both your guests and yourself with important information. Who, what, where, when and why are all things your guests will want to know. Directions, rules, and instructions are also important. Oral invitations are wonderful, but to avoid confusion and make sure relevant information is passed along and not forgotten, follow up with a written invitation that includes all these necessary ingredients.

Physical invitations are still a good idea. While most people are Internet capable wherever they are, there are still some who are not. There are also things like deadspots, failing batteries, or trying to read from a tiny screen that might interfere. With an invite physically in hand, these are less likely to be a problem, smoothing the way for your guests to have a good time. If you do decide to go electronic only, the other tips here are still worth following.

Directions are a given. No one wants to get lost. Include an address and a phone number if at all possible. Simple directions from one or two well-known landmarks can also be very helpful. If your guests have no trouble finding the place, they will be more likely to arrive in a good mood, and have a good time. Since a good time is the point of the exercise, anything that makes this more likely is highly desirable.

Now who wants to deal with rules at a party? You do. For example, if you are giving a costume party, you wouldn't want all the guests to show up in street clothes. A simple rule "costume required", or gentle advice "it is a costume party, so wear your best!" can save lots of aggravation. Another important example would be if your party has a Adults Only theme or flavor. You don't want someone showing up with their young children in tow if your party will be "R" rated (or worse), and the kiddies get exposed to things that might upset their parents. The opposite holds true as well. You don't want someone showing up in a harem slave costume complete with sex toys if the party was organized for a five year old's birthday! I've found that it is best to convey such a message firmly and directly, but that the addition of some graphical material makes your point stand out. "No Kids" followed up by a racy image, not necessarily explicit, but adult enough to get the point across, will the point more strongly than the "No Kids" statement all by itself. Pictures of clowns and teddy bears to reinforce "Children's Party". You get the idea. This isn't necessary, but it helps.

Instructions can be vital to the success of your party. Imagine if your hard drinking buddies show up to your event, and you forgot to say "Bring Your Own Booze". Can you say "buzzkill!"? RSVP needed, bring a present, donations required, must wear a themed costume, formal attire only, or a host of other instructions may be in order, and if you forget to tell someone, the resulting confusion or frustration can drag a party to its knees in a heartbeat. Make sure if something is required, the party guests know about it.

Lastly, if you are a regular party host, you can help yourself by giving out party invitations. If every time you send out 50 invitations, 30 guests actually show up, you can use this information to plan out what will be needed for your party. Avoid running out of things, or stocking up on way too much. Choose an appropriate venue, where your guests won't feel like they are being crammed into a broom closet, or lost on their own in Carlsbad Caverns with only echos for company.

For all these reasons, and many more I haven't mentioned, written party invitations are more than politeness for politeness sake, they are a good idea that will help make your party an enjoyable experience for everyone, including yourself.

How To Avoid A Hangover

How To Avoid A Hangover
by PartyFan


There are lots of remedies for hangovers floating around, everyone seems to have their favorite. Some work better than others. There are many disadvantages to the cures, such as the usage of OTC painkillers which recommend against mixing with alcohol because of the potential for liver problems, but the main reason all these cures suck is they all depend on one thing (which you would rather not have to deal with): you have to have a hangover in the first place in order to cure one. None of these cures are instantaneous, which means you have to suffer until the remedy kicks in. Prevention is a much better solution. If you never get hungover, you won't need a remedy, and you won't suffer the agony of waiting for the remedy to take effect.

So, how do you prevent getting hungover? We will ignore the obvious solutions like don't drink in the first place, or drink in moderation only, since these aren't going to apply to people who are searching for a hangover cure. If you need to know about cures, you are unlikely to avoid behavior that leads to the need for cures, aren't you? If you feel the need to overdo it, telling you not to isn't much help.

So, here is the solution. To oversimplify things a hangover is mostly caused by dehydration: the alcohol leeches water from your system, and in response to the lack of it the body steals it from wherever it can be found, including the brain. So to avoid the hangover, avoid the dehydration. First, try to avoid things that make the dehydration worse, like heavily sweet drinks with loads of sugar. Second, try to drink some water on the side while you are imbibing. This isn't always possible or desirable, but if you can do it without discomfort or displeasure, a plain glass of water in place of every third drink, or a large glass to be sipped at and refilled constantly will improve your odds of skipping out on that crushing headache.

Then, the final trick. Before you go to sleep, or pass out, drink up. Water. Lots of it. Or even better, your favorite electrolyte sports drink. A quart, don't skimp. More if you can reasonably hold it. Now you will most likely have to wake up to pee because of this, when you do, each and every time you wake up, drink some more water or sports drink. A pint the first time, an eight ounce glass after that. You will have to experiment with the exact amounts for your body type, but if you put enough fluids in, you won't dehydrate, and you won't get hungover. That doesn't mean you can drink to the point of poisoning yourself, alcohol is still nasty stuff to be treated with respect, but amounts that had you happy the night before and suffering the morning after will have that morning after edge smoothed considerably.

Your Mileage May Vary, but most everyone that has used this trick has sworn that it works wonderfully.