Summer is here! Time to revamp menus to reflect the lighter, refreshing foods and ingredients of the season.
We’re diving into summer with great ideas from our culinary R&D Specialist, Amanda Webb, and her team. Let’s see what seasonal superstar dish components and food trends they’ve uncovered.
- Farro. This Mediterranean grain is quickly becoming a popular alternative to couscous and other small grain pastas. Farro’s consistency proves perfect for incorporating into salads and soups as it really envelops the flavors added to it. This summer, expect to see farro as a nutritious addition to green salads with spinach, kale and arugula, seasonal, dried fruits, and a standout with lighter, flavorful dressings.
- Honey. Chefs have been enticed lately by this natural sweetener. Specifically as it can be locally sourced in most areas where flavors often vary by demographic, offering chefs a coveted versatility in flavor profiles. In light of the decline in bee population, we have found that many establishments are harvesting their own honey as they do their own herbs and produce. You can see it in dressings, sauces, marinades, cocktails, and of course, desserts. For example, our client, Founding Farmers has their own shared urban apiary with DC’s George Washington University to not only provide fresh honey to their restaurants but to support sustainability at every turn.
- Garlic Scapes (+other vegetables/herbs utilizing the whole plant). The scape, or shoot, is the long stalk that stems off a whole garlic plant. It tastes just like garlic, but has a fresh, crisp element that compliments summer pasta dishes and salads well, and even makes a great pesto. Garlic scapes are rather durable and also hold their shape nicely when roasted or grilled.
*jar of fresh honey direct from the Founding Farmers apiary in DC.