New Combinations for Old Foods

So more and more national brands are trying to find a way of appealing to new crowds. Kraft foods for example has been busy upgrading their cream cheese recipes to appeal to younger people, Chex mix has gotten an update and even Velveeta cheese has seen an uptick in the number of recipes that can be made with the stuff (Velveeta fudge anyone).

Which brings up to our current topic of discussion, one we’ve talked about before – that is, finding new ways to use older ingredients so that our menus stay fresh and are enjoyable to new generations of diners.

Something Restaurateurs Have Done For Years

Now if this sounds like old news, it definitely is. Chefs have been experimenting with new ways of combining old ingredients for years and there is nothing new about that. However, what is somewhat new is the interesting mix of comfort foods that have been proposed by some companies.

Betty Crocker, for example, recently tried to upgrade their sales of pancake mix by offering up the “Mancake”. A stack of pancakes made even better by layering it with bacon and topping it with beer—unhealthier to be certain, but still tasty and appealing to men.

Combining the Best of Comfort Food and New Age Idealism

Comfort food is great and obviously works really well for those running fast food joints such as burger joints and pizza parlors; however, we’d like to suggest that more upscale restaurants may benefit from this trend as well.

Try combinations that appeal both to the New-Age types who want something healthy while at the same time trying to find ways to incorporate more traditional comfort foods, which the New Age diner may remember from his or her childhood.

In other words, our suggestion is to take the best ideas from the old world and combine them with the new. Now that’s a recipe for success.

Spiked Sundaes the Latest Craze for Adult Themed Bars and Restaurants

Looking for a way to entice more adults into the bar? How about offering ice cream sundaes? The idea may at first sound a little wacky, but it’s actually the latest hot trend in the world of deserts and and liquor.

In essence, the idea is that you take the foods and drinks that children–or an adult splurging and reliving his youth–would want and you make them all grown up.

The “Milkshake Program”

The idea started out in Brooklyn, NY where Laurent Tourondel came up with the concept for his BLT Burger Restaurants. He introduced the “milkshake program”. Now others are trying to copy his idea,  with restaurants offering spiked ice cream to adult customers who wanted an update on a childhood favorite.

The idea in essence is to grab people and offer them their childhood memories packaged in a new, upscale, adult-oriented version. The foods and drinks aren’t hard core and no one is getting drunk off a Kahlua milkshake, but the concept has been getting rave reviews.  More importantly, it’s also getting people in the door.

Stand Out with “Adult” Milkshakes!

In essence, the concept is just another way to differentiate yourself from the competition. When every corner restaurant and bar is serving liquor and Buffalo wings along with fried cheese sticks, you’ll do yourself (and your guests) a favor when you offer something that truly is different.

A Universal Concept

Of course the idea has not taken hold only in Brooklyn. Restaurants all over are now offering spiked milkshakes and coffee ice cream of the Irish variety. One favorite combination is ice cream combined with bourbon. In the words of master sommelier Fred Dexheimer, they just work “well together.”

Whether the concept would work for your establishment is of course a matter of judgment. For those looking for a new concept for a bar or restaurant which anyway caters primarily to an adult audience, the Butterscotch milk shake with real scotch may be just the thing.