We talk a lot about appropriate refrigeration and maintaining perfect temperatures to ensure foods are always safe, tasty, aromatic, and palatable. Refrigeration is incredibly important to any food service provider and, at Culinary Depot Inc., we take your refrigeration and freezer needs very seriously.

We also take ice seriously and offer an array of Ice Caddies in our range of Transport and Storage product lines. As a matter-of-fact, in just the 100-pound ice caddy line, we offer 14 different products from which you can choose.

All offer slant tops that slide up and back into a secured top, are foam insulated, are constructed with molded-in side grips and with lift grips in the front and back. These heavy-duty, heavy capacity bins are also constructed with a drain shelf and recessed drain faucet, which keeps ice out of the water and water out of the ice. Better yet, none require assembly and all are reasonably priced.

Choose from swivel wheels, casters, brakes and a large range of colors including black, dark brown, coffee beige, gray, granite gray or green, and slate blue.

These ice caddies work as well indoors as they do outside and can handle hot and humid external temperatures, holding ice for days. The caddy’s unique sliding lid minimizes cross contamination; its thick foam insulation is durable and provides long-lasting ice; and the sliding lid opens for easy, fast access and shuts for safe, sanitary storage.

Most caddies in this line fit under prep and catering tables and counters for even greater convenience.

Don’t forget to take a moment this month to look through Culinary Depot’s Monthly Specials.

In addition to a great deal of important information on how to increase school lunch participation and handling children with food allergies, we are particularly proud of the variety of items we have highlighted for you this month. You will find our HurriChill Blast Chillers and Shock Freezers with capacities from 30 to 1,300 pounds and with broad chilling and shock freeze temperatures.

You will also see our Scotsman Prodigy Modular Cube Ice Machines, American Panel Walk-in Coolers and Freezers, Air Curtain Merchandisers, and the Safe Ice Handling System. Air Curtain Merchandisers are great for impulse traffic locations while the Safe Ice Handling System ensures cross contamination is minimized. Of course Walk-Ins are custom designed to meet your needs and can be created from a large array of finishes and a range of accessories. Scotsman Cube Ice Machines create ice with less energy and water than most traditional ice machines while exceeding California and federal energy efficiency regulations.

We also highlight the Traulsen Undercounter Quick Chiller, ideal for smaller facilities. This appliance works great in deli locations, schools, and hospitals, while ensuring safe temperatures are maintained to cool hot foods to safe temperatures and quickly freezing foods to ensure texture, taste, aroma, and safety are preserved. Victory Reach-In Refrigerators and Freezers, which we have been discussing here, at length, are also featured. These Energy Star® Reach-Ins are designed with foamed-in-place polyurethane insulation, an energy saver switch, and a nonelectric condensate evaporator.

From mats and carts to large, custom-made walk-ins, you will find everything you need to operate the safest, most efficient, kitchen possible.

One of Culinary Depot Inc.’s Featured Items this week, which can be found on our homepage, is the True Food Service Equipment, Inc TSSU-48-18M-B Mega Top Sandwich/Salad Unit.

True’s sandwich/salad units are designed for lasting quality that ensures the value of your investment is maintained over time.

Among its other many standard features, this unit is outfitted with poly pans; a stainless steel insulated cover, top, front, sides, and back; an 8 7/8-inch removable cutting board; two doors; four PVC coated wire shelves; and a white aluminum interior. Made in the United States, this appliance is also constructed with a patented, foam insulated lid and hood that keep pan temperatures colder, lock in freshness, minimize condensation, and are removable for easy cleaning.

Refrigeration is our passion and this unit does not disappoint with its factory engineered, self-contained, capillary tube system. The refrigeration on this unit is rear mounted with an oversized—12 cubic feet—factory balanced refrigeration system with guided airflow that provides uniform temperature to food pans and the cabinet’s interior.

The sealed, cast iron, self-lubricating evaporator fan motor and larger fan blades provide a more efficient low velocity and high volume airflow design; the condensing unit access in the cabinet’s rear also conveniently slides out for easy maintenance. Environmentally friendly, CVC-free, and utilizing 134A refrigerant, the patented forced-air refrigeration system holds 33 degrees to 51 degrees Fahrenheit and complies with and is listed under ANSI/NSF-7-1997-6.3.

Be sure to take a look at this week’s Featured Items featuring even deeper discounts to our already slashed prices.

Earlier this week we introduced you to the Culinary Depot our line of convertible refrigerators and freezers, which are offered in remote and self-contained options. Our Combo Units, which include Convertibles, Remotes, and Self-Contained, all offer the benefits of a freezer and refrigerator in one convenient appliance and the remote convertibles consist of a large range of one-section Traulsens.

These appliances, as we discussed previously, are all reach-ins designed for remote refrigeration with the flip of a switch. These convertible refrigerator/freezers are constructed with stainless steel exteriors, anodized aluminum interiors, and microprocessor controls that enable precise temperature control and can be flipped from freezer to refrigerator mode and back with just the use of a key switch, letting you maximize your storage space in one unit.

Remember, right now, all of these units are being offered with free shipping.

The Traulsen RCV132W-FHS Spec-Line Refrigerator/Freezer Convertible is a one-section that features a full-length solid door with right door hinges, three chrome-plated adjustable shelves with a total 18.8 square feet of shelf area, and a net capacity of 24.2 cubic feet.

The Traulsen RCV132W-HHS Spec-Line Refrigerator/Freezer Convertibles are also one-section, but with two half-length solid doors with right door hinges, three chrome-plated adjustable shelves that offer a generous total shelf space of 18.8 square feet, and a total net capacity of 24.2 cubic feet,

Next week, we’ll discuss the self-contained options in the convertible line of Combo refrigerator/freezers which enable you to enjoy two appliances in one, providing additional freezer or refrigerator space, as needed, all with the flip of a switch.

By now, you know that at Culinary Depot our line of refrigerators and freezers is unsurpassed. Our Combo Units, which include Convertibles, Remotes, and Self-Contained, all offer the benefits of a freezer and refrigerator in one convenient appliance. Within this line, our convertible line offers the convenience of both remote and self-contained appliances.

Our remote convertibles consist of a large range of one-section Traulsens, which are all reach-ins designed for remote refrigeration with the flip of a switch. These convertible refrigerator/freezers—which are all sold with free shipping—are constructed with stainless steel exteriors, anodized aluminum interiors, and microprocessor controls that enable precise temperature control and can be flipped from freezer to refrigerator mode and back with just the use of a key switch, letting you maximize your storage space in one unit.

The Traulsen ACV132W-FHS Spec-Line Refrigerator/Freezer Convertible is a one-section freezer that features a full-length solid door and offers a net capacity of 24.2 cubic feet, three chrome-plated adjustable shelves, an 18.8 square feet of shelf space, and one full-length solid door with right door hinges.

The Traulsen ACV132W-HHS Spec-Line Refrigerator/Freezer Convertible is a two-section unit that features four half-length solid doors with left/right door hinges, three chrome-plated adjustable shelves per section with a total shelf area of 37.6 square feet, and a net capacity of 51.6 cubic feet.

Tune in later this week for information on the rest of this exciting refrigerator/freezer line!

Did you know that fluorescent bulbs are about four times more energy efficient indoors than standard incandescent bulbs? Or, that you can substitute a 100-watt incandescent bulb for two 60-watt bulbs, saving you about 12 percent on energy while not compromising your light source?

If you operate a dehumidifier in the summer, dry air can be tolerated at higher temperatures than humid air; if you operate a humidifier in winter, colder air will feel more comfortable.

These are just two of the tips you can find on the Culinary Depot website’s Monthly Specials and Catalog. Be sure to download this valuable catalog—all at no cost to you—and take a moment to browse our vast listing of monthly specials and industry information.

Meanwhile, we’ve been talking to you about our huge line of refrigerators and freezers and have recently walked you through the benefits and necessities of owning a blast chiller. Now, we’d like to cover the many benefits at your disposal with any of our many Combo Units, which include Convertibles, Remotes, and Self-Contained, all offering the benefits of a freezer and refrigerator in one unit.

But, more than the benefit of dual appliances, these Combo Units work great when you need additional space for a frozen product or more refrigerator space for prepared food. These units allow you to freeze and refrigerate what you need with the flip of a switch and are designed for use as standard-temperature freezers or for operation at refrigerated temperatures. This dual-temperature construction provides unique flexibility when a variety of foods and menu changes require coordination.

At Culinary Depot, we’ve been telling you about our expansive line of refrigerators and freezers and have been focusing on a variety of our Blast Chillers. Today, we would like to draw your attention to our Traulsen Work Top Blast Chillers.

At CulinaryDepotInc.com, we are proud to offer you Traulsen’s RBC50-50 Spec Line Refrigerator, RBC50-51 Spec-Line Refrigerator, RBC50-52 Spec-Line Refrigerator, RBC50-54 Spec-Line Refrigerator, and RBC50-58 Spec-Line Refrigerator, which are all being offered with free shipping by Culinary Depot Inc.

These Traulsen blast chillers provide an array of different weight capacities, depending on the model chosen. And, all of these blast chillers provide a convenient and comfortable work top design with a self-contained refrigeration system, three chilling modes, a magnetic door gasket, and stainless steel interiors and exteriors, among other amenities, such as five universal pan slides and six-inch casters.

Improper cooling of food has long been blamed as one of the leading causes of bacteria growth, which can then lead to dangerous, often deadly, foodborne illness. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), some 76 million Americans fall ill each year as a result of pathogenic foodborne diseases; some 5,000 will die.

You can easily help ensure that this does not happen in your kitchen by using a blast chiller. Blast Chillers are specifically constructed to bring food safely through food’s so-called Danger Zone, that range of temperatures from 135 degrees Fahrenheit to below 41 degrees Fahrenheit. What’s more, blast chillers can accomplish this in about 90 minutes, making these appliances a much-needed component in any kitchen.

Last week, we discussed one of the featured specials on the Culinary Depot homepage. We have also been focusing on our expansive line of refrigerators and freezers and thought it would be helpful to highlight one of last week’s featured items, the Victory VR-2 Value Line Refrigerator.

We have more to tell you about the Victory VR-2 Value Line; however, this week’s special, also a Victory, is certainly worth mentioning. Be sure to check out the Energy Star-rated Victory VF-2 Value Line Reach-In Freezer that is constructed with two sections, has self-contained refrigeration, standard depth cabinet, full-height doors, and a dial-type thermometer. The exterior and interior of this featured freezer is constructed of sturdy aluminum while the front and doors are made of stainless steel, which offers clean lines and durability.

The VR-2 Value Line, part of the broad and flexible Spec and Value product lines offered by Victory, offers resource-saving designs, innovative technology, supreme build quality, Energy Star® participation, and unsurpassed service, which has earned Victory a reputation for providing “Refrigeration At Its Best.”

The V Series of Victory refrigerators are constructed of heavy gauge, polished stainless steel and aluminum that are attractive and durable and run efficiently for years to come. Interiors feature easy-to-clean and -maintain coved corners and thick foamed-in-place polyurethane insulation throughout the cabinet to a well insulated and energy efficient food storage area is consistently maintained. The bottom of the storage compartment is made of heavy gauge metal and is also constructed with thick polyurethane insulation for exceptional strength.