Largest gingerbread house ever
17-12-2013
For building this large Hansel and Gretel gingerbread house, and amount of 7.200 eggs, 22.304 pieces of candy, 820 kg butter and 1360 kg sugar with a total of 36 million calories were used. The house is built by volenteers to raise charity for the St. Joseph Hospital in Texas and will be part of the Guinness book of records as the largest gingerbread house ever.
Christmas without bulging
17-12-2013
We recently received the press release ‘Christmas without bulging’ by the Diabetes Foundation. A study shows that the majority of the Dutch people are less eager to eat healthy in December. The Diabetes Foundation concluded this based on search trends in Google. In January people start Googling on ‘healthy recipes’ and ‘diet’ but in December those search terms are hardly used. According to the Diabetes Foundation, a missed opportunity, because delicious and healthy food at Christmas is possible indeed.
The Lightbattle
16-12-2013
The director of the Rijksmuseum opened the light artwork ‘Lightbattle’ on December 12. In the bicycle tunnel of the Rijksmuseum, where hundreds of cyclists pass through every day, a red and a blue team can compete with each other during a battle. The cyclists colour all lights win. The winners get a spectacular light show. The Lightbattle uses the energy of the cyclists and can be viewed until January 19. The Lightbattle is an idea of Venividimultiplex and developed by InventDesign.
App combines food, style and music
16-12-2013
Uniqlo has introduced a new app with a combination of food, style and music. Six emerging chefs from the US have developed a total of 24 recipes with everyday ingredients and cooking techniques. The recipes are inspired by the autumn/ winter collection of the brand ‘LifeWare Philosophy’. Every chefs wears an outfit that features the colors and textures of the dish, the outfits can be purchased through the app. The app also has different cooking sounds and a timer.
Tosti Madness
12-12-2013
‘Tosti Madness’ makes gourmet sandwiches. With the ‘Tosti Madness’ caravan and grill they visit festivals to serve the visitors fresh sandwiches made from organic and/or local products. They will also create a ‘Tosti Madness special’ with seasonal/region-specific products on request. They are always looking for new ways to prepare the sandwiches, such with a grill or on fire. ‘Tosti Madness’ also provides sandwiches to the hospitality business (mainly pubs) and provides catering. Last year they won the award for the best food truck concept during ‘Proefpark Haarlem’.
Rainbow popcorn
11-12-2013
Cookie producer John Altman wants to crowdfund a total of € 9.000,- for an electric popcorn carrier tricycle. The tricycle is equipped with a mobile popcorn factory and will appear in Amsterdam parks and at events. The staff of the tricycle will consist out of ex-homeless people that reintegrate in the society with the help of the Rainbow Group. The crowdfund project has reached 78% of its goal and will close within 7 days.
Vegan wine
11-12-2013
During clarification of wine animal or plant protein can be used. Wine importer Yanflorijn focuses on importing wines that are free from the use of any animal products and serves vegetarian wine lovers with this proposition. In the near future Yannick Slagter and Floor Overgoor, founders of Yanflorijn want to grow their own vineyard in Holland.
Street Food petition
11-12-2013
In cities like New York and Bangkok diverse streetfood is commonly. The Netherlands lack a diverse streetfood offer. There is a law introduced in the ’30s that demands permets for streetfood. The permits are mainly provided to hotdog stands, deepfried dough during winter months and ice cream stands. At the moment the waiting list for permits is as long as thirty years for popular places like the Vondelpark. With the Streetfood petition initiator Steff Veldkamp from Vleesch noch Visch wants to put this issue on the political agenda and underline the fact that nowadays’ foodtrucks can be equipped like regular professional restaurant kitchens.
Christmas pop-up
10-12-2013
This recent year we have seen more and more pop-up stores that have made it go from hot to mainstream. Empty retail spaces fill up temporarily with stores or hospitality formulas. We also saw hotel lobbies that supported diverse pop-up formulas. So why not a pop-up Christmas store or Christmas village in your lobby? Why doesn’t your hotel collaborate with the local gardening center? They usually offer the most beautiful arrangements for the holidays and can use some extra exposure! Think of those beautiful snowy Christmas settings as in the picture that mesmerize your junior guests. This creates a win-win situation as you have great decoration and it will encourage guests to stay just a little longer, buy an extra cup of coffee. The first hotel that creates a collaboration like this will definitely earn a mention on horecatrends.com. Download our booklet ‘Christmas gestures‘ with more easily usable Christmas gestures.
Edible Christmas creations at Mandarin Oriental
9-12-2013
The Mandarin Cake Shop opened its doors in the 1970s and since 1987 Yves Matthey is the Executive Pastry Chef of this beautiful treat shop at the Mandarin Oriental. The signature items of The Mandarin Cake Shop include the cheesecake, the chocolate truffle cake, home-made XO sauce and rose petal jam, of which the recipe stays a mystery. There are beautiful (Christmas) cakes and pies for sale in the shop.