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Hot Words/Products: Winter Trends

Jan 25

Posted by admin in beverages, chocolate, cocktail, dining out, food universe, gluten-free, restaurants

It’s that wonderful time of the year when the majority of the country is waiting for it to happen. The “it” would be record cold or snow or some major weather event. Late January and February are heavy with that level of anxiety or anticipation (if it’s for skiing conditions, I get it), and the food world is no different. This is the perfect time of the year to tease tastebuds into a new sphere as relatively short days require a little extra nourishment. We have a panoply of food terms to warm the chilly burners of these months.

Look at GINGER. Once not that long ago it was just a spice in a container. Then fresh ginger came into vogue as we learned to give our food a little boost. Now it has its own elevated position in the beverage world not just as a stand-alone ginger ale, as it seems to be a compatible, healthy flavoring for any number of drinks whether hot or cold. As for snacking, ginger and chocolate are the darling of combo treats!

A parallel is the flower, HIBISCUS. Yes, its fragrance and compatibility make it a charmer again for beverages and plenty of flavor enhancers. Look at how pomegranate drinks have become more palate pleasers with the addition of ginger and hibiscus!  Somehow dishes and beverages seem to have a more chef-fueled flavor when you add something that some would consider exotic, something such as hibiscus.

Maybe the current number one trend-setting position goes to SORGHUM. In the summertime we enjoy the bounty of color from the fields of sorghum and appreciate how farmers are turning those fields into profitability. Now we see a different side to this grain as the growing gluten-free market space has heartily embraced the flavor of sorghum beers after several early rollouts of G-F ales that were less than enticing. Not only the beverage world but the chef-driven universe has embraced this sweetener with some top-tier creative moments.

Let’s end our discussion today with two food words that are making the rounds.
-Meatballs are everywhere and seem to have found a place at every tier of dining. They can quickly be fancified or presented as the alternative to the spate of burger spots.

-Parm. Eggplant has long championed its association with parm-topped dishes and now poultry-inspired foods are grabbing plenty of menu headlines. Sure, chicken parm has been a popular dish for a long time, but it now seems to be a pervasive special!

All these words and products speak the same language: Versatility as they are compatible with a range of pairing options. Time to uncover some of these foods and avoid total food hibernation.

 

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Upselling is Back

Jan 18

Posted by admin in dining out, Economy, food universe, life

In the old world, as defined as a few years ago, the economy was flush and diners happily supported the restaurant industry without a blink about fancy meals and high price tabs. It was the world, and upselling was a prevalent theme. Make that “a problem.” Yes, waiters never seemed to tire of the million strategies to drive the bill. Then the recession hit and waiters, too, were happy to serve tap water or let diners share an entree. With the first visible positive signs of economic change or potential stability, waiters have returned to the 1000 ways to enhance your dinner or drive up the tab; your call as to how to define the strategy: rhythm or an incessant drumbeat from an earlier era?

Take a recent outing where the waiter quickly moved himself into the annoying corner as he seemed to meet resistance with his every ploy. Sparkling water became a spigot that was never shut off. You know how I feel about the restaurant versions of still and sparkling without a cost to the consumer.

When the waiter moved to a more profitable part of the menu as he  tried to sell truffles a thousand ways, he lost everyone at the banquette. The group preferred a conversation rather than a lesson in pricing or slicing. He was unstoppable as he moved through menu gyrations with the almost musical tone, “we could just add a thin truffle slice to make the dish purr.” Seriously, uninterested and turned off by this overpowering display of in-your-face possibilities. Let us dine. Let us relax and chat and welcome our dining choice rather than secretly dread the restaurant decision.  Did he mention the cost? No need; there were no bites at the table. He quickly tried another approach, also an unsuccessful strategy as he encouraged additional courses. He asked, “Is that it?” Not smooth; not impressive, and not a winning tool.

Yes, dining out can be complicated and expensive with rising food costs and creative plating as chefs struggle with all matters of pricing.  Yet, the annoyingly, cloying waiter needs to remain a caricature and not make a visible presence tableside. Let the diners’ imaginations go wild and let them initiate as in, “could I have the truffle atop that salad, or…”.  You get the picture. Food is expensive enough at high-tiered restaurants without the nagging upsell that has again entered the market space.

Let’s all be hospitable and relax.

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Try Out These Food Trends

Dec 12

Posted by admin in beverages, cooking, dining out, food universe, gluten-free, healthy eating, lifestyle, news, restaurants

The lists keep on rolling in as food trends are an easy exit discussion for 2011 and a hopeful wish into 2012.

A Mintel survey indicates we’ll be thinking more about “home” even at quick service and fast food restaurants. They anticipate this restaurant tier to start using more “comfort” words in menu descriptors. They also expect significant growth in this market space. “Homespun” goodness will pervade menus implying that careful preparation is at work in the kitchen regardless of the restaurant’s price point! Other prospective trends include:

–Regional foods will win over the menu as more restaurants work to bring in popular dishes from areas well-known for their specialties, such as Memphis Barbecue.

–Menus will have a section devoted to healthier dishes with lower-calorie foods. This concept will become more prevalent across price points.

–Restaurants will move more to customized ordering systems to give consumers more dining options that they will be able to impact.

Not to be left behind when we talk of trends, The National Restaurant Association surveyed 1,800 chefs, members of the American Culinary Federation, to get their input for their list, “What’s Hot in 2012.” Here are some headliners with the word “local” making its way into 3 of the top 10 trends:

–Locally sourced meats and seafood, and locally grown produce. A little further down the trend list is locally produced wine and beer.

–”Healthy” makes its presence felt with healthful kids’ meals, whole grain items in kids’ meals, and Gluten-free/food allergy-conscious items.

They see a continuation and growth of food trucks, the continued importance of the farmer in bringing products to market, and more fruit and vegetable side dishes on kids’ menus.

What’s interesting about these lists is the greater emphasis on product sustainability. It appears our emphasis is more on the practical, rather than the outlandish: All trends that have a chance of surviving and becoming more commonplace rather than single shots at fame.

Fun to follow these concepts as many are homespun ideas that have already had an impact on our food universe.

 

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Hotels Respond to the Coffee Crunch

Sep 20

Posted by admin in beverages, coffee, cooking, lifestyle, news, restaurants, tourism, travel

It seems no matter where you travel these days that hotels have heard the cry for decent coffee. In-room service has moved away from those suspect pots, which may or may not have been properly cleaned, to single shot service. Feels a little safer, cleaner, better. After all a package with an upscale signature such as Wolfgang Puck, can motivate you to at least try it. Maybe you’ll use two packets, but either way there’s a sense of security and control!

When you stay at a mid-tier property, and you hear the restaurant server explain that the coffee is “a little better, a little stronger, more like Starbucks,” you know what to expect.  Actually, it’s a matter of what the hotel company has heard: Stop pouring the weak stuff. I can water it down if it’s too strong, but it can’t work the other way. Whether changes were made due to consumer response or survey responses or just plain common sense, the reason remains less important than the reality. Starting the day, or in my case at any point of the day, with a decent cup of coffee makes a difference.

Maybe this is all part of the renewed and improved market for business travelers. Now that they are back on the road, it seems each of the hotel brands is ready to do some upscaling to grab that important market segment. With smart work from a hotel’s sales staff, leisure travel, likewise, has all the appearances of getting a bounce. If there are few other signs of economic improvement, these are noteworthy.

Not just the coffee service but the whole breakfast scene is being revitalized. The days of a sweet roll and a cup of coffee are moving further into the annals of hotel hopping. Hyatt just announced they are reworking their Summerfield Suites and rebranding them as Hyatt House, a brand that will offer a variety of comforting selections including made-to-order breakfasts. That feature is a big drawing card for almost any guest. From a hotel perspective, it’s a newly vital component of the brand message. Look at how well the Bistro concept works for the Courtyard franchise.

If you are paying over $500 a night for a room, your concerns include a good quality restaurant with a menu that addresses a wide-range of tastes and allows for substitutions. Yet if your stay is more moderate as in the under $200 a night category, a made-to-order breakfast becomes a positive plus in overall decision-making. The word “complimentary” has a smart marketing ring to it!

A decent cup of coffee and a hot breakfast are two important trends making their way through the moderate, mid-priced hotel industry. All segments of the traveling public seem responsive to this type of positive change. Now just stop charging for wi-fi and you’ve got a friend!

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Is Wheat Killing Us?

Sep 14

Posted by admin in food, food universe, gluten intolerant, health, healthy eating, lifestyle

Health foods and health fads. Fad diets and weight-loss programs. Those are all strategies we undertake to come to grips with eating behavior and habits. Now along comes a book that throws many of our recent theories into a topsy-turvy state. We thought it was good to eat whole wheat bread. We believed we were doing our bodies a favor with going for the multi-grains.

Wheat Belly by William Davis throws us a curve when he says that our blood sugar is getting a spike from our increased use of whole wheat bread. Wait, it gets more frightening: Eating 2 slices of whole wheat bread is equivalent to drinking a can of sugar-sweetened soda. Wait. This was not the intended consequence.

Sugar was something we were trying to avoid as elevated blood sugar leads to a whole category of diseases such as diabetes. Davis goes on and details how wheat creates the visceral fat layer that is responsible for an increased risk of breast cancer. Were we not moving the family to whole wheat products, assuming they did not suffer from a gluten intolerance or even Celiac, for positive health results? Now all of a sudden we are out in left field having been advocates for a less than healthy path for our families.

The problem quite simply is that the wheat we eat today is not the wheat of earlier times.  In Davis’s words, the wheat has been “hybridized,” basically, overbred or, are we overbread? That process raises blood sugar and kicks up insulin levels. This resembles a sugar rush as one is often hungry within a few hours and the taste itself has an addictive quality, much as all sweets we savor.

Switching to whole wheat products created a conundrum: You thought you were doing something wonderful for your body but instead you were complicating matters and creating negative, rather than positive, results. One cannot help but ask if the number of people who now recognize that they are gluten intolerant are responding to this wheat intake.

The ultimate point is that wheat for whatever reason increases visceral fat (belly fat) which is associated with a range of negative health issues such as diabetes and heart disease. The cover of the book strikes the message with its stacked bagels which of course are fattening in and of themselves but Davis says, “Lose the wheat. Lose the weight.”

We know for a certainty that visceral fat has negative health consequences. Likewise diabetes numbers continue to spike. This may be the approach: Eliminating the wheat may be the simplest diet plan to follow.

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Riding the Popularity Bandwagon–The G-F Driver

Aug 15

Posted by admin in gluten-free, health, lifestyle, news, shopping

Who could have imagined a year ago that Gluten-Free products would top the popularity charts. This is not a trend but a reality of marketing. G-F products, of course, are needed by those with celiac disease but have become a preferred choice for many other individuals who recognize how much better they feel when they eliminate the flours that cause distress. Grocers, restaurants, big chains, and even small cafes have figured out how they can capture some of this market.

The Bloomberg Businessweek issue for August 15-28 has a great cover shot for the “Popularity Issue” and inside awards its top spot to the Gluten-Free Diet which they say is being driven by those with celiac disease and the 15% of consumers who purchase these products and “help create a $2.6 billion market.” What has happened has occurred with an ease that often does not accompany most product rollouts which can be slow and focused on test markets. Now, big name manufacturers are vying for space alongside the stalwart G-F leaders such as Bob’s Red Mill and Udi’s. When you see 2 loaves of Rudi’s G-F multigrain bread at Costco you see a sea change, and a price drop. Let’s see, 2 loaves at the big box for about half the cost of a single one at the regular store!

The race is on.

More grocers are demonstrating their understanding of the growing numbers by integrating the G-F product line rather than isolating it into a small corner of the store. Sure shelves are often still marked with flip signs indicating a G-F product, but even that has somewhat lessened as consumers recognize the product labeling with the GF symbol. We’ve talked plenty about how obvious products are now quick to boast of their new popularity status. Lea & Perrin’s Worcestershire Sauce remains my best go-to example, but the Chex family should not get excluded from their big bold banners. Wait, now Rice Krispies has the bold banner.

If you think you’ve seen a lot of GF products at the grocers and been passed GF restaurant menus, you’ve barely scraped the surface. Who wouldn’t want to be part of this impressive marketing action?

Not a trend, but a lifestyle choice with a wide arena for traditional companies to make the jump into the G-F universe! Expect to see more such gotcha labels.

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GF Regs Re-Open for Comment

Aug 4

Posted by admin in Administration, FDA, food recalls, gluten-free, health, news

It is a tad ironic to mention on one hand how the phrase “Gluten-Free,” or GF as it is listed on many products, has become mainstream knowledge. Yet, the other hand frantically waves for attention as the FDA has extended the comment period for 2007 regs on labeling food “gluten-free” for an additional 60 days. Wait, 2007 regs are not yet finalized and put into law? What is wrong with this picture?

Let’s see where to begin. How about chronologically? As in this is August 2011 and comment submission materials are now due in early October! Have we not wasted 4 years in trying to figure out how to help individuals who are by illness, as in Celiacs, in need of certified foods? The FDA says we are only talking about 1 % of the population that struggles with Celiac. I struggle with that low percentage for it hardly seems a day passes without more attention to this illness. Celiac research paints a different picture, a more startling numeric: 1 in 133 American people has Celiac, according to the National Foundation for Celiac Awareness.

How about the people who are gluten intolerant? That number is certainly growing. The FDA focus is only on the US, but we know some countries, such as Ireland, have taken the lead on product identification and restaurant preparedness. Sure, more restaurants in the states are offering gluten-free menus and increasing their range of selections, but what about the security issue? Everyone needs to be certain that what is labeled or described as GF, truly has zero gluten.

Individuals who cannot tolerate gluten continue to struggle with dining out choices as they fear the separation of foods may not be tightly monitored. These are not whimsical fears. They are life-and-death matters.

So what happened to the “new” FDA that was promised to be a more responsive agency? Seems it is still buried under mounds of paper and limited in its roll-out of important mandates. What can a foodservice professional or a consumer do? React; respond within this extended deadline. Go to www.regulations.gov, and submit a comment. Follow the link.

As concerned consumers and food professionals, we cannot let this comment period slip away and allow mounds of paper to be ignored. We’ve had enough of that. GF and gluten intolerance deserve better attention and protection. Now.

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Mainstream G-F

Jul 26

Posted by admin in dining out, food, gluten-free, lifestyle, restaurants

We’ve talked before about how gluten-free products have become more readily available. Supermarkets have taken the plunge and recognized the large number of people diagnosed with celiac disease or those who find themselves gluten intolerant. Many sit-down restaurants have figured out the marketing potential and offer guests a gluten-free menu. Yet a more casual approach for people that avoid gluten products means limited sandwich options. They either make their own sandwich or have to listen to dining companions order something that sounds tempting or go to a higher price point. Nothing seems to cover the middle ground. That landscape has had a makeover. Now one nationwide restaurant chain has started a limited program that hopefully will go national.

The Subway chain in Oregon and Texas offers gluten-free sandwiches. (The program was rolled out several months ago, but I recently observed the process firsthand–quite different from a press release!) This is a big deal being advertised with banners and in-store literature. Anecdotally, they are reporting an impressive amount of interest and orders.

If you enter a Subway that offers a G-F menu, then you have hit the quick-service, made-to-order sandwich line. Before you scoff and say how could such a large chain pull off the G-F experience, let me share what I witnessed. The staff has been well trained and recognize the contamination possibilities. The roll comes wrapped but never even makes it to the counter until the sandwich person scrubs down the counter, announces that a G-F sandwich is about to be made, does a complete hand wash, and grabs a new pair of gloves. Pretty impressive actually! For those who worry about the isolation preparation. you have an advantage: You watch the process rather than speculate that caution is being followed!

When all is set and ready to go, the G-F sandwich gets further isolated during the preparation selection and ends up in its own specialty bag. What’s the upcharge for this attention to detail? A dollar more for a G-F sandwich: A price that goes down easily.

Maybe other fast food, casual restaurants, and nationwide chains will figure out that offering a gluten-free option is not price prohibitive but rather financially advantageous.

Marketing mainstream reality.

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News Laws; More Wine, Less Whining

Jul 1

Posted by admin in alcohol, champagne, food, food universe, news, tourism, wine

Big news on the wine front: “Ship it” is the phrase of the new month. Maryland now allows residents to receive wine shipments from out-of-state wineries. No longer do DC workers have to use their office addresses for wine shipments. Hello; that’s progress. Yet, the state is ready to boost its coffers with new tax initiatives that hit the bottle hard. Alcohol tax increases amount to a 50% sales hike. That should slow down the tab.

Virginia joins the customer-friendly philosophy by allowing consumers to BYOW, bring their own wine to restaurants and pay a corkage fee. Just one common courtesy here: Don’t bring something that is already on the restaurant’s wine list. You want to keep the restaurant in business and not add to their operating cost burden.

Maybe my favorite legislative enactment is from Maryland which requires food purveyors, farm markets, and grocers to define what those “local” signs really mean. This word has had a true liberal dosing of meaning. Big banners often proclaim local only to learn that one store’s definition involves hundreds of miles while one really means the nearby grower. The law applies to fruits, vegetables, fish, and shellfish by requiring a defined point of origin. Let’s keep those signs accurate and support the true definition of local.

Oregon’s wine industry, with its much hearalded 2008 Pinot Noir accolades, just got an additional boost. License plates can now advertise wine country which should boost sales for the entire tourism industry. Why not tag something so impressive!

Celebrate the red, white, and blue by toasting these impressive legislative enactments. OK, one is costly (a 9% alcohol sales tax), but it may help the coffers in a responsible way.

Enjoy the 4th.

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Unknown Fruits and Vegetables: New Friends

Jun 21

Posted by admin in cooking, food universe, gardening

We’ve all heard the stories how families had never seen some vegetables in their fresh form but just assumed canned or frozen were the only options. Jamie Oliver made food history with his tour of West Virginia and the food revolution he stirred. Budget constraints have an impact on food purchasing and in these times of spiraling food costs, the tried and true head the shopping list.

Yet, I have earned a new education. Without my early membership in a CSA, I might never have tried some of my new friends. It’s you Kohlrabi I’m talking to. Not that the stand employees had many ideas how to handle this rather awkward looking vegetable; they were curious what I would uncover. With my trusty computer and numerous search attempts, I found no shortage of recipes but after the early experimentation, I settled on a personal Waldorf Salad.  Kohlrabi, apples, nuts, and cranberries became perfectly united with just a little lemon juice and a dollop of mayonnaise. The crunch worked and this veg gained star status in our house. Consider starting it from seed as Gurney’s catalog offers some enticing recipes!

Maybe the trendiest vegetable of the year award will go to KALE. From an unknown to super-star status and expensive marketing (kale chips at $7.95 a bag), this prior, semi-unknown proved a most versatile companion to many dishes. The biggest caveat is that a small bunch shrinks to a minuscule size when cooked. Buy more than you need or if you are lucky enough to find it, get a big, triple-washed bag (remember kale neared the top of last week’s pesticide list), and go wild with recipe creations. Kale can handle experimentation or if you focus in one direction, it loves sesame oil and rice vinegar with a sprinkling of tamari in a hot skillet.

Rhubarb may tie with Kale for top trend honors as the once unfamiliar fruit now champions a legion of followers or as the food52 people learned, rhubarb parties are a big hit! Maybe the house’s personal favorite recipe involves using way less sugar than previously imagined and cooking bite size pieces until just soft. Cool, taste, and freeze the majority as this is a fruit that loves oatmeal. OK, we had plenty of rhubarb-strawberry events but love pulling out a little bit as a cereal or dessert add-on. Have you tried it with Greek yogurt? A winner.

Actually these three foods moved to star status in our house this year, and we haven’t even talked about health benefits! Are we ever lucky as so many new choices are coming into market and it’s only the first day of summer. Our list will expand.

Happy Solstice.

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