It seems that America has small batch, artisan, and culinary fever. From food to wine, beer to coffee, the trend is rampant in 2015. So why stop there? Bring on the cocktails! Culinary influences from the kitchen are trickling into cocktail bars, especially inside fine dining. In 2015 look for more infused spirits. And not…
What’s hot, black, and delicious, loaded with antioxidants, and only has about two calories per serving? If you guessed coffee, then you are exactly right. While coffee gives you more antioxidants than other food or drink we ingest—including fruits and vegetables—there are other healthful benefits to drinking at least a morning cup, and maybe even…
Having a hard time finding and keeping good employees in your restaurant? You might not be alone. As the economy in the United States is on the upswing, and restaurant growth is projected to grow for the 16th straight year, one would think that employees would be easy to come by, but it seems there…
Want to add complex flavors to your dinner items without breaking your bank? As diners’ tastes expand and as they are more willing to accept various layers of fusion and flavor, citrus is becoming the go-to staple for chefs, and even bartenders, in all genres of food and drink. According to Technomic Inc.’s MenuMonitor, “menu…
If you’ve been following the 2015 food trends then you already know that diners are more frequently opting to eat out in restaurants that consistently offer fresh, locally sourced produce, and local meats that are grass-fed and hormone/antibiotic free. You know, too, that craft beers are topping the dining scene, and that wine tasting is…
Not so many years ago it seemed that we worried about tipping… things like when to tip, who to tip, and how much is a reasonable amount. For instance, should we add a gratuity when we pick up a gift card from the hostess at a restaurant, or do we tip the waiter who brings…
Whether a person drinks tea for the ritual, for its calming effects, or for its refreshing qualities, there is little doubt that the beverage has quite a fan base. In fact, after water, tea is the most widely consumed beverage in the world. Traditionally, tea leaves were steeped in hot water to the desired strength…
Craft beer, a beer made in a traditional or non-mechanized way by a small brewery. Craft cocktails, a cocktail where every element is handmade or tailored specifically to the drink. Craft foods, food prepared from high-quality ingredients, as opposed to fast food. It seems that every segment of the food and drink industry has a…
It used to be, in foodservice, that chefs from fine-dining establishments would set the trends, and those trends would then trickle down to other food segments. Or conversely there was fast food, which was available to those who needed to eat on the run, in a hurry, or inexpensively. But now things are changing, as…
When the restaurant business took a turn to the south during the recession, there was not a lot of money left in the average person’s budget to allow for any kind of dining out, much less at grandiose restaurants. But let’s not forget about the upper crust, the elite who had the money to spare…