FOOD FOR THOUGHT: LATEST FOOD & BEVERAGE TRENDS
If you’re looking for a little inspiration to give your spring and summer offerings a boost, you could do a lot worse than look at some of the latest trends making big news on the food and beverage scene.
THE BIRD IS THE WORD
Judging by the number of chooks appearing on pub and restaurant menus around the country, it seems that the humble chicken really is the “roast with the most” right now.
A return to simple, home-style comfort foods has been growing in momentum and chicken is top of the hit parade. Comfort foods were also the ‘big news’ for home cooks where chicken dishes took out the most popular recipes viewed on goodfood.com.au. Chicken was also the number three on recipe searches on Google in the past year.
Frosé – ALL DAY!
If you’re looking for a drink all the ladies will love this summer, you can’t go past frosé – a pink, alcoholic slushie that seems to have taken on a life of its own.
Frosé originated in New York and the city went gaga over it. The drink was borne from a simple curiosity: what happens when you throw rosé, (along with some strawberries and vermouth) into a slushie machine?
The trend has spread across the States and to Europe and now Australia is embracing the trend with one venue even planning to transforming its outside terrace into a frosé garden.
It’s also a drink almost tailor-made for social media, with its pretty pink hues, icy texture and glittery appearance. It looks like fairy floss in a cocktail glass and has absolutely taken Instagram in particular by storm.
A spokesperson from Melbourne bar Mr Miyagi says frosé has already taken off. “We’ve had a huge response and so far, it looks like a trend that’s going to stick.”
BAR CARTS MAKE A COME BACK
Once commonplace, bar carts are in the middle of a resurgence, popping up in restaurants, and bars across the country.
“We replaced our traditional cocktail list with a drinks trolley at the beginning of the year,” says Fabien Moalic, sommelier at Melbourne’s The Press Club. “Our cocktail list was always popular, but now, cocktails from the trolley are going to pretty much every table.”
Bar carts date back to the Victorian era, although back then were used for tea. It wasn’t until the ’30s that they began to be used for drinks. During the 1950s, due to the emphasis on hosting and parties and the rise of cocktail-hour, bar carts were everywhere.
In a way, it’s surprising they ever fell out of fashion – especially in restaurants. At The Press Club, accepting a cocktail before the meal from the shiny gold-and-glass cart is as simple as accepting a glass of champagne. There’s no wait time, which is a win for both the restaurant staff and the diner.
At the end of the meal, The Press Club’s cart goes around again; this time laden with a range of digestifs and its signature Espresso Martini.
Other restaurants and bars around the country with bar carts include The Astor, Syracuse, Bar Liberty and Hellenic Republic in Melbourne; and the Roosevelt, Icebergs, Bells at Killcare and Harpoon Harry in Sydney. The newly opened Bistro Guillame in Sydney’s CBD has also jumped on the trend. It is a classic French bistro where you can order dessert from a pastry cart and cheese from a trolley.
