Balsamic Vinegar of Modena | Unique, European inspired recipes
3-1-2022
Last week, in anticipation of New Year’s Eve celebrations across the globe, The Consortium of Balsamic Vinegar of Modena (Aceto Balsamico di Modena) shared two easy recipes featuring the European staple that are sure to infuse a bit of flair into any occasion.
Just because we love the flavour of Balsamic Vinegar of Modena and we think the recipes shared by them are easy to make, we had to publish this article. If you’re ever find the possibility to buy an older (like 25 years’ old or even more) Balsamic Vinegar, please do. The taste is so special, and it really adds a great acetic sweet flavour to many dishes. Besides the two recipes of the creamy fondue and the Mary Modena, you can find a lot more recipes on their website, like the delicious balsamic raviolini in a brown butter sage sauce!
Reading time: 2 minutes and the recipes don’t take that much time either 
JAMES horeca | Platform for temporary staff in the Dutch hospitality industry
3-1-2022
Although we are not forced to hire new employees for a while, it is wise to check how you can get staff once we can reopen. The shortage of staff has been a reason for many companies to close several times slots in the past year here in the Netherlands.
JAMES horeca, a platform for temporary staff with an app for hospitality employees, could help compensate for the current shortage. Thanks to their 360-degree approach, they find, train, and captivate employees who help the Dutch hospitality industry at events, restaurants, bars, and clubs. With the result of always having trained people on location, something in which they are distinctive and progressive.
Reading time: 2 minutes
Chipotlane Digital Kitchen | First ‘’grey kitchen’’?
21-12-2021
The new format will exclusively fulfill digital orders for pick up or delivery. Chipotle Mexican Grill announced its first Chipotlane Digital Kitchen restaurant in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio. The new prototype offers a Chipotlane and walk-up window for efficient digital order pickup. Located in Ohio, the restaurant is scheduled to open later this month. Chipotle’s second digital-only restaurant prototype serves guests who order ahead on the Chipotle app and Chipotle.com, and marketplace partners.
With no dining room access for guests but with patio seating to enjoy their meals. Kind of a ‘grey kitchen’ instead of a ‘dark kitchen’?
Reading time: 2 minutes
Trends we spotted | Week 50
20-12-2021
At horecatrends.com we spot many national and international trends on a daily basis. We pick the most interesting ones to write about, the other trends we use in our weekly column ‘Trends we spotted this week’.
With this week links to articles about winter coffees from all over the world, inspiration from Starbucks. And a “snowman pizza” made by Joe’s Rotisseria in New Jersey!
The first 1,600 Neder Bananas from Wageningen University & Research in the Netherlands were harvested at the end of November. Many atypical and sustainable products are made of them! Ever heard of ‘National Cookies Day’? We didn’t, but this day is celebrated on December 4th and Subway opened a ‘Cookieway’ pop-up store around this date.
The fast food chain ‘El Pollo Loco’ is launching a ‘Loco Gifts and Gear’ store in which they sell merchandise specially designed for them, such as a bicycle. And the UK’s cheapest champagne bar has opened, Aldi will sell its award-winning Veuve Monsigny champagne for just £2.33 a glass. And so nice: a ‘Santa sushi’, created by Wave Asian Bistro & Sushi out in Mount Dora, Florida.
Airbnb had a special Christmas promotion in the USA: 4 people could be guests for one night in the ‘Home Alone’ house! Including lots of details like the cheese pizza and Kraft Macaroni & Cheese.
In London you can enjoy the patisserie of the French chef Cedric Grolet in The Berkeley Café and when you are in London now you can enjoy a special ‘Borealis’ by the famous artist Dan Acher for 2 more days. Northern lights above London during the Winter Lights season, we would love to see that above Amsterdam as well!
Uber Eats was the first to deliver meals to space on December 11! And have you heard of PappaRoti? They sell drinks and special coffee buns from Malaysia in more than 400 locations worldwide. Located in Brussels, among others.
Couture Christmas tree in the Winter Garden 2021 of the Pulitzer Amsterdam
10-12-2021
This festive December month, hotel Pulitzer Amsterdam – located in 25 connected 17th and 18th century canal houses – has teamed up with renowned Danish fashion designer Claes Iversen to design a spectacular couture Christmas tree in their Winter Garden 2021. We have written about the idea behind the collaboration and now it turned out to be one of the largest outdoor Christmas trees in Amsterdam.
We think the design turned out really beautiful! We can completely imagine ourselves enjoying a warm drink in this Winter Garden at the Pulitzer Amsterdam, with dry weather and a thick coat or blanket of course. And if you take a walk through Amsterdam and enjoy the Amsterdam Light Festival, it is of course a nice stop for a hot drink and to warm up under the covers and the heaters in this Winter Garden.
Reading time: 2 minutes
24 Karat Gold Turkey | Thanksgiving at Empire Steak House
24-11-2021
Empire Steak House in New York will surprise their guests this holiday season with a unique dish, the 24 Karat Gold Turkey! A traditional dish with a fancy twist.
We’ve seen the gold wrap marketing stunt on a regularly basis, the food is always astronomical priced, but they’re also always picked up locally and internationally for some free publicity. Especially if there is also charity associated with it. Quite recently we saw the ‘Golden Boy‘ of ‘De Daltons’ in Voorthuizen in the Netherlands, who raised 5.000 euros. This amount has been donated to the local Food Bank. We also wrote about a marketing stunt by Bubbledogs in London who gave away 100 golden hot dogs as a Christmas present, and whoever got one also got a small bottle of champagne. Last summer Chipotle packed their burritos in gold foil every time the USA won a golden medal at the summer Olympic Games.
Reading time: 1 minute
Pulitzer Amsterdam X Claes Iversen | Design Christmas tree
19-11-2021
This December Pulitzer Amsterdam – the hotel located in 25 connected canal houses – collaborated with the famous Danish fashion designer Claes Iversen to decorate one of the largest Christmas trees of Amsterdam. The designs of Claes Iversen are worn by Queen Máxima, the crown princess Mary of Denmark and Dutch celebrities Lieke van Lexmond and Chantal Janzen. The Pulitzer Amsterdam X Claes Iversen.
Reading time: 2 minutes
The Lights of Christmas presents | A drive-thru Christmas
12-11-2021
There is something special about The Lights of Christmas! More than dazzling lights, The Lights of Christmas brings both nostalgia and innovation together for a Christmas experience to lift the spirit and uncover the hope of the holidays. This year The Lights of Christmas presents… A Drive-Thru Christmas, Located in Stanwood, Washington State. This drive-thru event lavishly celebrates the meaning of Christmas through new and classic displays alike.
This is just one of the many Christmas drive-thru’s we have spotted in the last couple of years. As long as we are facing another winter with COVID-19 amongst us, it’s a great way to bring the joy of the Holiday Season to people when they are collecting ordered presents or food boxes. As most streets in shopping areas are decorated this December anyway, why not create a ‘Christmas Wonderland’ and have your clients pick up their orders in a fun and save way! Organise it together with other entrepreneurs, like these restaurants last year. The drive-thru Christmas by The Lights of Christmas is great inspiration.
Reading time: 1 minute
The Mariah Menu at McDonald’s USA
11-11-2021
The twelve days of Christmas – what will McDonald’s US sent to their customers? Each day from Dec.13 through Dec.24, U.S. customers can get a different menu item for free from the Mariah Menu on the McDonald’s app with a $1 minimum purchase.
Another example of marketing with a celebrity, in this case Mariah Carey who takes the Holidays up an octave with 12 Days of McDonald’s® deals. Inspiration for more local deals with celebrities? We only sorry that she doesn’t sing in their commercial! And of course that the Mariah Meal isn’t available in Europe.
Reading time: 2 minutes
A Finger Lickin’ Chicken Mitten Bucket Hugger by KFC
11-11-2021
To celebrate the upcoming holiday season, Kentucky Fried Chicken® is unveiling winter’s hottest dining accessory – a limited-edition and original Finger Lickin’ Chicken Mitten Bucket Hugger, to turn your bucket of KFC’s world-famous fried chicken into the ultimate holiday must-have, according to their press release.
A combination of a new Holiday Bucket and a sweater for this bucket to keep the bucket and the hands of their fans warm! No longer available in the US but we loved the idea, a combination of a ‘ugly Christmas sweater’ with a big plus for fans of your brand. It’s great inspiration for upgrading the ugly Christmas sweaters from the past, a ‘sweater + mitten’ for warm drinks or buckets of food.
Reading time: 1 minute
Recipes with Balsamic Vinegar of Modena
