Category: Snowcones

Posted on by — Leave a comment

Renting A Treat Machine For Your Child’s Next Birthday Party

A child’s birthday has a very different meaning for the parent versus the child. To a parent, their child’s birthday is a celebration of one more significant year since they day they were brought into this world. To a child, their birthday means yummy cake and lots of presents!

While it might seem sensible to stick to the basics of a birthday party, a parent really doesn’t want to disappoint the birthday boy or girl. There are definitely ways to create the most fun birthday party ever without going over the top.

All kids love treats, pretty much regardless of what it is. To make the goodies even more enticing and to offer up a fun experience at your child’s party, consider renting a popcorn, sno cone or cotton candy machine. The directions are simple, messes can be kept to a minimum, but most of all, the excitement and pure delight on the kids’ faces make it all the worthwhile.

What’s great about these treat machines is that they produce the treat quickly and with minimal effort. Typically needed are a few singular ingredients and electrical outlet. With popcorn and cotton candy machines kids loves to stand around and watch the corn pop or the cotton candy spin. Sno cone machines are just as fun and kids can help with pouring in the flavors of their choice.

Contact Miracle Strip Popcorn and Concession Supply today for renting a quality and affordable popcorn, cotton candy or sno cone machine. With one or all of the above, your child’s next birthday party will sure be one that’s never forgotten.

Posted on by — Leave a comment

Why Sno Cones Are Perfect for Adult-Only Summer Parties

Ahh, sno cones: what a perfect summer treat!  Whether you’re an adult or child, this syrup coated, icy treat is one that cools you down on a hot summer day – and are the perfect addition to any party.

Sno cones are traditionally for the kids, but here at Miracle Strip Popcorn, we know that adults enjoy the treat as much as the children do, and we don’t blame you!

There’s nothing like a nice sno cone to elicit some feelings of nostalgia. It might take you back to your first date at the county fair, or maybe you used to make sno cones at home with your mom and dad. Either way, there’s no reason sno cones are just for the kids.

Here are a three ways you can make them a hit at your adults-only party.

Throw a carnival themed party

 

The most obvious of ways to incorporate sno cones into your party: have a carnival themed party. Ask your guests to dress up to get into the mood and bring back the various elements of carnivals everyone knows and loves. Some other great additions include popcorn machines, funnel cakes, cotton candy, and maybe even a few clowns!

And to encourage your guests to try the sno cones, make sure you have straws, so your guests don’t have to risk colored lips!

Provide more sno cone toppings

 

Why stick to the traditional flavored syrup only? Provide some extra toppings for your guests to create a sno cone masterpiece!

Some ideas for toppings include:

  • Sprinkles
  • Fruit
  • Candy (an assortment of kinds)

Get creative – think of things you would like to add to your sno cone and offer them as options for your guests!

Turn traditional sno cones into sno cone cocktails

 

Summer, especially here in Florida, can get quite steamy. Why don’t you offer your guests a sno cone cocktail as a way to cool down and relax at a party (maybe even a pool party? Easy to make, prepare some cocktails for your party and have your guests add the sno cone ice to them.

Your guests will stay refreshed, cool, and we can almost guarantee that they’ll be talking about your sno cone cocktails for months!

Do you have any ideas for ways to make sno cones a hit at an adults-only party? Share them with us in the comments below.

Posted on by — Leave a comment

Tips for Hosting an Outdoor Movie Night

During the summer, or whenever the weather is nice, warm, and there’s no threat of rain, an outdoor movie event can be a real crowd pleaser. It’s best to choose a movie that has broad appeal—the kind that’s not overtly violent, sexual, or foul-mouthed so as not to offend guests or neighbors nearby. Indeed, be respectful of neighbors who may not want a lot of noise outside their window late-at-night—it doesn’t hurt to check with them beforehand to see if they’re cool with your plans.

The technology to host your own neighborhood or friends-and-family movie event is readily available and somewhat affordable. You’ll need a screen (or flat white wall/white sheet hung up on a wall) and a projector, along with some sort of movie player and perhaps stereo speakers in order to properly show—and hear—a movie outdoors. If you don’t have those things, ask your friends if they’ll lend you their equipment (and someone to run it!) and/or buy whatever you’ll need to show the movie outside.

Test the equipment before people arrive for movie time, to make sure it’s working. There’s nothing worse than having a bunch of people gathered, ready for a good time, and for some odd reason the picture doesn’t appear, or there’s no sound.

Next, look around the garage or storage rooms for chairs, and if you don’t have many chairs that you don’t mind putting outside for guests to use, ask them to bring their own. An alternative to chairs would be blankets and pillows. And, since the event is outdoors, don’t forget bug spray and/or a light jacket in case it gets chilly.

Finally, what’s the one thing that goes with movies best? It’s popcorn, of course! If you really want to impress your guests, consider renting a popcorn concession. Miracle Strip Popcorn of Fort Walton Beach, FL, can bring the popcorn maker to your house or outdoor venue. The popcorn machine will be the talk of the party, for sure. Miracle Strip Popcorn can also supply outdoor movie nights with other favorites, like cotton candy, sno cones, ice cream, nachos, and candies. Movies and food—especially popcorn—go together well, and any decent outdoor movie night needs snacks to please the people in attendance.

To find out how Miracle Strip Popcorn can bring their popcorn concession to your movie night, making it more fun, please call 850-864-1139.

Posted on by — Leave a comment

What’s the Difference Between Sno Cones and Shaved Ice?

Bluebear Ice shaver machine

At Miracle Strip Popcorn and Concession Supply, we offer professional quality concession equipment for sale and rent in the Florida Panhandle area. If you look at our website, you’ll find that we offer both sno cones and shaved ice. However, most people don’t even know of the difference between the two. While we’ve touched on this topic in the past, we thought it would be worth repeating. Because to us, the distinction is an important and interesting one.

  • Sno cones are made using specialized sno cone machines, which work by crushing ice cubes into very small pellets. On the other hand, shaved ice is made using either a cubed ice shaver or a block ice shaver. Unlike sno cones, shaved ice isn’t crunchy.
  • With sno cones, when syrupy flavor is added to the ice, it often ends up running through the ice to the bottom of the cone-shaped cup—most of us can remember this from our childhood, slurping up the liquid after enjoying the treat. Shaved ice is different, as flavor tends to spread more evenly throughout the ice.
  • Sno cones typically come in one or two sizes, and generally you’ll see them in a six ounce cone-shaped cup, with the ice being rounded on top of the cone. You can easily slurp it with your tongue like you’d lick an ice cream cone. Shaved ice is served in various sizes of foam, paper or squat cups. While also generally rounded at the top, it typically requires a spoon-straw in order to eat it.
  • One of the major differences between sno-cones and shaved ice is the number of flavors available. Sno cones, which you generally find at county fairs and carnivals, come in two to five flavors like grape, cherry and orange. Shaved ice, on the other hand, typically comes in many more flavors.
  • Sno cones are traditionally quicker and easier to prepare. Shaved ice is made to order—it can’t be shaved in advance.

Miracle Strip Popcorn carries both sno cone and shaved ice machines for rent and for sale in the Florida panhandle area. Visit our website for more information, and give us a call to add either tasty treat to your next event. There’s one thing that sno cones and shaved ice will always have in common: They both do a great job of cooling down happy mouths from the Florida heat.

Posted on by — Leave a comment

Keeping Cool: The History of the Sno-Cone

With the arrival of a cold and snowy winter in much of the United States (but not here in Florida!), it’s nice to be reminded of summer times when snow and ice would have been welcomed as a cool reprieve from the scorching heat. In fact, this is precisely how the sno-cone came into existence. The tasty treat now widely enjoyed through all four seasons was created over time based on a unique set of circumstances and very practical purposes.

Before modern refrigeration, ice needed to be transported to warmer climates by wagon, in huge blocks to prevent them from melting. Stories out of Baltimore, MD from the mid-19th century describe children greeting the wagons on their way south, begging the driver to shave off a little ice to melt in their mouth and help them cool down. Eventually, mothers of the children began to make flavoring to prepare for the arrival of the ice. Before long, ice was being hand shaved at movie theaters so that patrons could enjoy flavored “snowballs” during the hottest summer months.

Snowballs spread gradually around the country, serving as an inexpensive, enjoyable treat during the Great Depression and an appropriate replacement for all the ice cream that was shipped to soldiers during World War II.

Meanwhile, the technology used to make what would come to be known as sno-cones was making big strides. In 1919, a man named Samuel Bert created a machine used to make sno-cones that he sold at the Texas State Fair. While Bert’s machine made sno-cones by crushing ice, a New Orleans man named Ernest Hansen introduced the block-style shaving machine in 1934. The new machine created ice shaving more in line with the actual consistency of snow, and made the icy cold treats a source of pride in the Big Easy.

Ever since, sno-cones have exploded into one of the most popular summer treats in the country. They’ve also inspired the creation of modern iterations like frozen coffee and adult beverages. The next time you cool down with a sno-cone, take a moment to think about just how far they’ve come.

To rent or purchase sno-cone machines and other fun concession and snack bar equipment for your business or event in Florida, contact Miracle Strip Popcorn and Concession Supply today.

Posted on by — Leave a comment

Sno Cones vs. Shaved Ice

So what’s it going to be, a sno cone or shaved ice? While you may think these are one in the same, you are sadly mistaken. Contrary to popular belief, there are some differences between a sno cone and shaved ice. However, whichever variation of flavored ice you chose you are sure to enjoy this refreshing treat, any time of year.

The Differences:

• A sno cone is a ball of ice granular, flavored with one or many sweet syrups
• Shaved ice is a lighter, fluffy version of a sno cone, also flavored by syrup
• Shaved ice holds the flavoring better than a sno cone due to its texture

If you are throwing a party, whether it is in the summer or winter, a sno cone or shaved ice machine is sure to make a lasting impression with your guests. Unlike a boring old cake or the overdone build your own sundae station; give your guests something to talk about during and after the party.

Great for parties, carnivals and concession stands alike, sno cones and shaved ice machines are a great addition to any event! If you are throwing a party in Florida, be sure to contact us, Miracle Strip Popcorn, for more information about our party rentals and supplies!

Post by Miracle Strip Popcorn