Cragels, the kickoff of the year of hybrid foods
27-1-2014
Cragels – the adventurous hybrid between a croissant and a bagel, the newest “famous” pastry of New York. Originating from The Bagel Store on Bedford Avenue in Williamsburg this is the snack that tries to challenge the cronut in 2014. Saturday January 25, was the first day that the bakery was serving flavored cragels next to the basic cragels and we were there to try them out! They were selling plain, chocolate, bacon-cheddar-egg and parmesan spinach cragels. Personally I was especially impressed by the way both items were actually to be found in the eating sensation. When you take a bite, the first you notice is the flakiness of the croissant but when you are really eating your bite you feel and taste the denseness of the bagel. On top of that the flavor is very full and I have to say the bacon-cheddar-egg cragel was a delight for the taste buds! Hospitality insiders already predicted it.. 2014 will be the year of hybrid foods and I would say, this is a great kickoff!^Leonie van Spronsen
Call it a champagne bar, call it a hotdog store
27-1-2014
Dutch chef-kok Ron Blaauw opened the ‘Ron Gastropub‘ in April with affordable dishes of high gastronomic level. Ron Blaauw will open his new concept ‘The Fat Dog’ in Amsterdam in April. The restaurant will serve handcrafted hotdogs with diverse toppings in combination with a glass of bubbles, wine or gin tonic. The new concept is inspired by Bubbledogs in London, a champagne bar that serves bubbles with hotdogs instead of caviar.
Cheers to Sochi
23-1-2014
During the Winter Olympics in Sochi, fans can send their favorite athlete a personal message. Via the site ‘Cheers to Sochi’ or Twitter #cheerstosochi messages can be sent and McDonald’s will deliver them to the athletes in a special way. McDonald’s ensures that the messages are projected on a screen in the Olympic Village and athletes can print their favorite posts on a wrist-ribbon and respond to their fans through Twitter.
Coffee servings with tiramisu and mint flavor
21-1-2014
The Coffee and Tea bar research by Van Spronsen & Partners mentioned the change in coffee consumption by the youth. Next to that, consumers expect more luxurious coffee and different flavors when they order. Nestlé Professional and MONIN joined forces to actively advise barista’s in seasonal coffee flavors. For the coming months the Espresso Tiramisu Con Panna (with MONIN tiramisu syrup and whipped cream) and chilled Café Freddo Chocolate Mint (with MONIN chocolate mint) are advised.
Ad that can only be seen by night
17-1-2014
This ad from McDonald’s in a bus shelter in Sydney is only fully displayed when it is dark. During the day it seems like it lacks the half of the famous ‘M’ , but as soon as it gets dark the entire ‘M’ appears in the reflection of the glass. This ad is part of the new campaign by McDonald’s to announce that the fast food chain is open all night.
Start organic campaign
10-1-2014
Giovanni van Bronckhorst will kickoff the national campaign ‘Start organic’ on Monday, January 13. The campaign has been running since January 2 to January19 and stimulates people to buy healthy, natural and organic food. For each biological product bought, people get a sticker and with a full card (7 stickers) they can win various prizes such as a weekend in an organic Bed and Breakfast. For each full card sent, the organic sector will give ten pieces of fresh organic fruit, vegetables or potatoes to the children of the Giovanni van Bronckhorst Foundation.
The sweet interior of Cioccolato
9-1-2014
The interior of bakery boutique Cioccolato looks good enough to eat. Cioccolato, located in Monterrey Mexico, is specialized in custom desserts and sweets for special events. The boutique is designed by Savvy Studio and derived from the existing Cioccolato but there is a clear differentiation. The interior is sleek and white with sweet brightly colored elements. Chocolate and pink sweetness is dripping from the tables and shelves.
World’s first burrito vending machine
9-1-2014
World’s first burrito vending machine is located at a 24 hours gas station in West-Hollywood. Customers can make a choose from five types of burritos: roasted potato with egg and cheese, uncured bacon with egg and cheese, chorizo sausage with egg and cheese, range chicken with beans and rice and beef with cheese. Customers can also add sour cream, tabasco or quacemole. The burrito is made in 60 seconds for $ 3,=. While waiting for the burrito, a music video is played on the screen.
Sushi with weed
9-1-2014
To celebrate the legalization of recreational marijuana in Colorado, the mini sushi chain ‘Hapa Sushi’ has introduced a special weed-food pairing menu to show guests that weed goes well with sushi. Sashimi that is normally served with wasabi is now served with a platinum cookie made of marijuana. In 2009 the sushi restaurant and TDA Boulder made a campaign to encourage smokers to come eat sushi to satisfy their munchies.
Amsterdam falafel in Washington
8-1-2014
People from Amsterdam aren’t impressed by the falafel shops in the city anymore. These shops were a walhalla for Scott and Ariane Bennett and it inspired them to set up a shop in Washington DC, because the city lacked proper falafel shops. They named it ‘Amsterdam Falafel’ and the shop grew into a franchise chain with 3 branches. People can choose from 21 toppings and sauces to create the ultimate falafel that can be served with French fries.