Food warmers

I remember there was a thread on the topic but unsure how far back it was. I looked but didn't see it. Anyway, I came across a few tips yesterday in America's Test Kitchen's The Complete Vegetarian Cookbook so I decided to share.

1. Make use of your slow cooker. Mashed potatoes seem to cool off faster than anything else you serve. Simply transfer the potatoes to a slow cooker set to low. Adjust the consistency with hot cream or milk as needed before serving.

2. Use your fondue pot. Keep sauces hot by transferring them to a fondue pot set to low. This method is also great for creamy dishes like creamed onions, candied sweet potatoes, and macaroni and cheese.

3. Use kitchen appliances to your advantage. If your cooktop has an oven located just underneath, the oven's vents are typically located just behind the back burners. You can make use of the hot sir coming out of the oven vent to warm up serving dishes and dinner plates by stacking them on one of the back burners. Make sure that the burner itself is cold and clean and that the stack of plates is stable.

4. Prewarm serving dishes. Prewarming serving dishes can keep sides warm for an extra 10 to 20 minutes. Briefly heat your empty serving dishes in a warm oven or the microwave, or you can even use the drying cycle of the dishwasher.

Today I received an email of sales and webstaurantstore is having a quick sale, 2 days I believe, on chafing dishes, $19.99, and related items. I just thought I'd pass it along. Use code CHAFERFUEL if asked.