Recipes
We can all relate to the feeling of biting into a lush, juicy watermelon on a hot summer day. It’s sweet and instantly refreshing. The reason watermelon is so good at quenching your thirst is because, as the name suggests, watermelon is composed of 92% water. The other 8% is sweet fructose and healthy nutrients. It’s no wonder that this larger-than-life fruit causes us to bring up memories of summer, picnics, parties, and vacation. Watermelon is basically a symbol of summer. But, watermelon isn’t the only sweet treat that ripens just as the days grow long and the kids get out of school. There are a number of lesser-known mouth-watering melon varieties to add to your summer menus, and so many ways to prepare melons beyond just slicing and serving.
It’s a flavor. It’s a drink. It’s a superfood. Matcha powder is a little bit of all three. It’s trendy, healthy, and tasty and has taken the culinary world by storm. This green tea powder features in teas, desserts, smoothies, lattes, and much more. Where does matcha come from and why is it so popular? And how can those in the restaurant business incorporate matcha into their menus.
Berry season is back, and with it, a potential bonanza for anyone working in the foodservice industry. Wherever berries can be found around the world, strawberry, blueberry, and raspberry flavors top consumers’ all-time favorite lists. They appeal to individuals of all ages, and they can be found in recipes for breakfasts, desserts, beverages, and side dishes. But did you know that there is an entire smorgasbord of equally delicious and nutritious berries just waiting to be discovered by your chefs and devoured by your customers?
If you follow food industry trends, you know that sourdough bread sales peaked during the corona crisis when interest in making sourdough at home became one of the most popular activities worldwide. Dubbed by some as a culinary silver lining to the pandemic, recipes for the naturally leavened bread went viral, with renowned chefs and bakers posting sourdough how-to videos online and using social media to demystify the unique baking process.
Croutons, traditionally made from yesterday’s stale bread crusts, are experiencing a modern-day makeover. Creative croutons are on the rise in restaurants and topping chefs’ lists for favorite ingredients. Breathing new life into a food that has been around since the 17th century, now is the time for forward-thinking foodservice pros to jump on the bandwagon and learn all they can about what’s new in croutons and how to incorporate them into their menus.
If you are looking for new dishes and ingredients to add to your restaurant’s holiday menu, think “nut butters.” Rising to the top of the popularity charts among professional chefs and bakers alike, your customers are in for a New Year’s treat as you introduce their pallets to the likes of walnut butter, almond butter, cashew butter, pecan butter, soy nut butter, and even seed butters for those with nut allergies.
Eggnog season has arrived, and with Christmas right around the corner, now is the perfect time to update your restaurant’s eggnog menu. The beloved winter drink is not only a holiday tradition – it is in high consumer demand. So, grab a glass and let’s set out to learn how to serve the best cup of eggnog in town!
Pumpkin season has arrived – and that’s great news if you work in foodservice. According to the experts, there is an allure to short windows of consumer enjoyment, with seasonal dishes experiencing a 26% increase in orders. In the words of trendologist Kara Nielsen: “Seasonality is one food trend you can put your money behind.”
Welcome to the wonderful world of Einkorn – said to be the very first form of cultivated wheat in the history of mankind! Dubbed the ‘great-grandfather’ of the world of wheat, einkorn can be traced back tens of thousands of years to around 7500 BC during the Paleolithic Era when archeological finds indicate that it was grown in the fertile areas of the Tigris-Euphrates region.