So I developed a concept to work for me. This is how it works:
First of all I prepare all food at home. This works best for me because I have seven children and doing all the preparation in the daytime allows me to leave later in the evening and arrive at my shows only 20 minutes early!!
I love the fact that all my tools are clean, I can prepare ahead and freeze chopped chicken, fillings, etc. I tell the hostess to have a $15.00 check waiting for me when I arrive. I tell her that I need the money the night of the show to help me "keep my accounts separate." Very seldom do I have to remind my hosts about the check. They are all very happy to not have to do the shopping, preparation, etc. (I have saved several cancellations when their excuse was 'I'm too busy.' I am able to show them how easy it will be for them.)
As far as recipes, they are just my regular stuff. I am still a TWO RECIPE gal (I strongly believe that much of our draw for shows is the food!! I know there is much discussion on this, but I feel pretty committed to this.) I have done the Chicken Ceasar Salad Pizza all summer. I bake the crust, spread with cream cheese, and cover with foil. I chop all the salad toppings, including chicken and put in a ziploc bag. I pour the ceasar salad dressing in a separate small ziploc and a bit of Parmesean Cheese in another small ziploc bag. When I get to her house, I pour the Dressing onto the salad and toss it in the bag. Then I dump onto the crust and sprinkle the cheese on. It is great.
Then I have done the double Chocolate trifle (mocha trifle without the coffee.) However, at my show on Saturday I did the apple crisp. I prepared it completely and just popped in the hostesses microwave when I arrived. It was ready 15 minutes later. The guests eat first. As soon as everyone is served, I begin!
I have revamped my display, also. I have two baskets--one medium and one small. I put seasonal fabric in them and put my tools in them. I have a stoneware stand with two stones and cookbooks and the grill pan. I put my Tool Turn About in the bag. I set both baskets and tool bag in my showcase.
I put the stones and grill pan in my stoneware tote and lay the stoneware stand on top of the baskets. I zip and go. When I get to her house, I open the showcase, pull out my baskets, put the stones in the stand , take my Tool Turn About out of the bag and I am ready for the show to begin. It takes 2 minutes--MAX!!
Currently my format is to show the top five essentials in the kitchen:
Stoneware, Cookware, Chopper, Slice and Grate, and Garlic Press--you can customize to your liking. Then I am showing five to seven "Fabulous Favorites" of mine. I am trying to show things that are not really common, like the Simple additions, nylon tools, etc. Then I throw candy to anyone who can share a Fabulous Favorite of their own. We can really have fun with that and that is where all the "regular stuff" comes out: the Scrapers, Quick Stir Pitcher, etc. They get an extra candy if they can shout out the page number in the catalog when they share!! I end with a final product... the Heart Trivet, which leads into Round up and my closing.
Then, because the demo is mostly "dry", my cleanup is unbelievable. (My Demo is about 30 minutes) I do take a potato and a garlic clove. I usually demo the Chopper, Ultimate Slice and Grate (soon the Mandoline) and the Garlic Press with food.
THAT IS ALL THE MESS I HAVE TO CLEAN UP. I wash them quickly, stick them back in the basket and pack up in the same two minutes it took to set up.
AWESOME!!
My show average is doing really well--I totally credit it to the calls the hostess MUST make to let the guests know that the food is first.
Anyway, I am so excited about the simplicity. After eight years of Kitchen Shows, I am thrilled for the change. And to think when I started this businesss we did THREE recipes and my show was 2 hours long. Here's to Short, Sweet and FUN!!
~Erika Soelberg
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