Food & Drink Bites September 2017 An edit of the important and inspiring food, drink and dining stories of the moment, from goth food to ruby chocolate Daisy Green Barry Callebaut
Goth Food Waitrose A Shaggy Dough Story UniqFind Wild & The Moon Falwasser Crispbread Daisy Green The latest facet of the rainbow food spectrum is deep, dark, and gaining ground as we head into autumn. Goth food is an umbrella term that refers to blackened food and drink: charcoal crust pizzas, squid-ink pasta, charcoal lattes, black burger buns. Perfect for Instagram and associated with wellness thanks to the detoxification claims of charcoal although the science behind that is shaky at best, black food is having a moment.
Food & Drink x Co-Working The Foodworks Crucible Crucible As co-working spaces gain cultural momentum, food and drink-oriented lab spaces are beginning to open up. Brooklyn has Foodworks, a rental commercial kitchen that provides startups and entrepreneurs with access to top-end equipment to advance product development and ideation. In Haggerston, East London, Crucible is a creative hub for the drinks and flavour industry, giving mixologists access to professional equipment.
Bon Appétit's Best New Restaurants Nixta Spring Brewery Bhavana Mr Jiu's Mr Jiu's US magazine Bon Appétit has announced its Best New Restaurants 2017 list, and it makes for an interesting read for those looking to gauge up-and-coming dining trends. This year, key themes include modern comfort food and childhood influences cooked in a narrative-driven way. Personal touches are important, too; think restaurants opened by couples, meals served by the chefs directly, and mismatched tableware sourced from Etsy.
Ruby Chocolate / Fizzy Milk My Modern Met @food52 Swiss chocolate giant Barry Callebaut has announced a fourth chocolate colour the first new, natural chocolate colour in over 80 years. Ruby chocolate, which is naturally pink, is less sweet than milk chocolate and has notes of berry fruitiness mixed with smoothness according to its creators, who discovered the ruby cocoa bean 13 years ago. It's due to hit shelves in six months' time. Another major food and flavour innovation comes from Danish dairy company Arla, which is looking to combat falling interest in animalbased milk products among younger consumers with the launch of a pink, fizzy milk drink. Launching in England, Singapore and the UAE first, the 'sparkling milk and fruit drink' will be made with fat-free whey, flavoured with fruit juice and then carbonated.
Ladybird Vegan Bar / Ben & Jerry's Vegan Ice Cream Ladybird Ben & Jerry's Vegan living is steadily becoming a more mainstream option for consumers. In New York, Ladybird is a 'vegetable bar' that serves up small plates and infused vegetable-based cocktails. US singer Moby, who has invested in the project, says the aim is to make veganism more fun: One of the best ways of promoting plant-based eating is by serving wonderful food in a beautiful space. Product development is following suit, with flavour and texture scientists working hard to present plant-based alternatives that taste as indulgent as dairy and meat products. The latest release comes from Ben & Jerry's, which now offers seven of its bestselling ice-cream flavours including Chocolate Fudge Brownie, Chunky Monkey and Peanut Butter & Cookies in almond milk formulations.
Botanica / Essence Cuisine The Infatuation Essence Cuisine New LA hotspot Botanica is grabbing headlines for both its menu and its Instagrammable decor. Opened by food writers, the Silver Lake restaurant features a menu that is free of refined sugar and processed foods, and heavy on salads, Turkish eggs and fresh greens. But it's the drinks that are garnering the most attention particularly the beet cocktails, hibiscus spritzers and natural wines. In London, new Shoreditch restaurant Essence Cuisine is free of meat, dairy, gluten and refined sugar. Opened by Belgian music festival entrepreneur Bart Roman, the all-day eatery serves up colourful quinoa bowls, chickpea scramble, raw pancakes, tomato lasagne, and nut-cheese boards. Drinks include cold-pressed cocktails, non-hpp juices and organic, biodynamic wines.