Category Archives: food and beverage

food and beverage

New York and San Francisco New Health Requirements

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Are states going too far with health concerns? Reddit’s Health page features a link to NBC News’ website with an article stating that New York’s Health Department is requiring all chain restaurants to alert consumers of foods that have high sodium content. This article which was reposted on Spring.Me makes mention of San Francisco’s ban of ads for sugary drinks on publicly owned property. To read the article in full, click here.

The New York’s Health Department wants to push that each restaurant will be required to put a picture of a salt shaker next to any menu item that is higher than the recommended daily allowance. Is this really necessary? On one hand, it’s great being able to see this at a glance, but I’m sure most people already know when they eat out the food is going to be loaded with salt. It’s what gives the food flavor. San Francisco is putting through a ban on the opposite end of the flavor spectrum by wanting ads to be banned that promote sugary drinks. Again, is this necessary?

Don’t get me wrong, I understand health is important and attention does need to be spent on it. At the end of the day, though, we’re going to take care of our bodies the way we want to. Instead of forcing the issue more, maybe more time should be spent toward helping people without jobs, homes, or food.

food and beverage

Srirachi Doughnut Causing a Buzz in Harlem

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In a move that shows that American’s love affair with Sriracha isn’t just a passing fad, a Harlem bakery has created a Sriracha doughnut. The new doughnut will likely bring buzz to Jolie Patisserie, a newcomer to the Harlem food scene.

According to owner, Moha Orchid, the Sriracha doughnut is a traditional yeast doughnut topped with sour cream, almonds and a bit of rooster sauce for good measure. According to some it is one of the more interesting uses of Sriracha and Orchid has exercised restraint in the application of the Sriracha, ensuring the doughnut is the perfect balance between savory, spicy and sweet.

Dough Loco also offers a Sriracha-infused doughnut. Their doughnut, unlike Jolie Patisserie’s, airs more towards the side of sweet. Dough Loco takes Sriracha and infuses it with raspberries to create a glaze for a traditional cake doughnut. The Dough Loco version has something of a cult following, and Susan McGalla is still trying to find out what the hype is all about.

In recent years, Sriracha’s popularity has reached a fever pitch in the United States. It has become part of the culture, and adventurous food establishments and patrons have taken to utilizing the rooster sauce in all different types of food. Sriracha famously made it onto Lays potato chips during the first incarnation of the “Do Us a Flavor” contest.

food and beverage

Restaurant Uses Plates to Cheat

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When it comes to restaurants gaining fans and business these days social media plays a big role in how things work out. Through social media those visiting a restaurant can share about their visit and post pictures of the food that they are served. Food pictures make mouths water and draw customers in, so one restaurant is using that to their advantage. One restaurant has found a way to make the pictures that are taken of their food even more appealing than they were before.

It seems that one restaurant is using special plates to serve their food. These special plates are made to help food appear more appealing on social media, and Gianfrancesco Genosowww.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=177441067 thinks it works well. These plates help that food to look tastier so that it draws more customers in. This restaurant seems to be cheating in the way that they show off their food. Doesn’t the food look good enough on its own? Does it need special plates to look tasty?

food and beverage, Panera

Panera Comes Clean

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Founded in 1981, Panera Bread had provided fresh quality ingredients to their devoted customers for years. The bakery style cafe has an enormous list of recipes, soups, sandwiches, and salads. Their healthy lifestyle is one of the most loved qualities about the national food chain. The company released a statement early Tuesday morning noting that over the course of the next year or so, they were taking healthy to a new level. Mark Ahn is glad to know that the bakery chain has committed to remove over 150 artificial ingredients from its menu. Fox News criticized that the company is just doing this as a marketing technique to get new, more health conscious customers. Panera lovers and supporters fired back at Fox. They claim that Panera has always been healthy minded. Recently they decided to roll out a new line of ‘clean’ salad dressings that have no artificial colors, flavors, sweeteners or preservatives. The company CEO, Ron Shaich, gave a phone interview shedding light on how Panera is making strides to be the frontrunner when it comes to healthy dining. His dream for the company is for it to be widely recognized as the most transparent eating establishment in the history of dining chains. With so much in the news about fast food companies and restaurants trying to cover their artificial tracks, it’s rather refreshing to see a company go to such great lengths to ensure the health of its customers. One good payoff from this commitment is that Panera will ultimately build a strong customer-to-company relationship.

Cafes, food and beverage

The Ultimate Café Is Open – Martha Stewart is in the Food Business

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Martha Stewart, 73 years old, is opening her own café makes sense. After all, she is the queen of quality recipes, organization, sales and more.

The Martha Stewart Café is actually only a little kiosk in an the Starrett-Lehigh building in the heart of New York City. It is aptly labeled “Martha’s Blend.” She offers tea, coffee and fancy pastries.

She said her cafés theme was a result of her travels throughout the world. The tea and coffee she offers are from many different countries.

Her pastries come from a variety of sources. She gets them from different bakeries, restaurants and chefs.

It’s a good thing that Martha Stewart is an advocate for higher education customer service with prices being comparable to similar coffee shops. Food and drinks are at or less than $5.00.

Martha Stewart’s new cafe has sparked the curiosity of many customers. She has the reputation for being good with crafts, food and creativity.

culture, Fast Food, food and beverage

KFC Under Pressure to Serve Antibiotic-Free Chicken

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KFC is now facing some heat about serving chicken with human antibiotics. This is because McDonalds has publicly made an announcement that they will no longer serve chicken that has been raised with human antibiotics. Flavio Pentagna Guimaraes BMG knows that the purpose of this is because it can potentially cause health issues in the near future. When chickens are injected with human antibiotics, it eliminates harmful bacteria, but also wipes out bacteria that is meant to defend “superbugs.” Due to these injections, superbugs may now resist the treatment and continue to manifest into something more serious. According to Reuters, KFC has no “publicly stated policy on antibiotic use in the production of the meat it buys.” Your text to link…
It has become imperative that KFC should follow Chick-fil-A, McDonalds, and other food chains that are in support of not serving chickens with antibiotics. If not, this franchise could seriously face a significant loss of customers and develop a bad reputation over time. Ultimately, customers will want quality food and healthier options.

Fast Food, food and beverage

Japan Unveils Tower Burger of Madness

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Japan is known for its innovative inventions and trend-starting styles. According to the article on Grubstreet.com, Japan’s biggest fast food chain is unveiling a burger of innovative layers.

MOS (Mountain, Ocean, Sun) Burger, the biggest fast food chain in Japan behind McDonald’s, has announced their new burger- the Tokyo Tower Burger. And what a tower it is! The burger consists of fourteen different layers. MOS Burger have decided to create this new burger in commemoration of the opening on March 13 of their new location in Tokyo Tower’s food court.

At this point you have got to be wondering what goes into a 14-layer burger, right? MOS Burger have revealed that the layers go as follows:

Bun
Lettuce
Hot chili sauce
Chopped onion
Mayo
Burger Patty
Extra wide tomato slice
More Hot chili sauce
Onion ring
Ketchup
Another layer of chopped onion
Pastrami bacon
Burger Patty
Bun

I’m not even sure how one would go about tackling this tower of madness, but I can’t wait to see someone try! Thanks to our friends at AnastasiaDate for the tip!

food and beverage, Food TV

The Cadbury Company Changes Their Creme Egg Recipe

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I grew up eating Cadbury cream eggs. You could only get them at Easter time. They were almost as enjoyable as the commercial that featured the lion trying to be a bunny. A commercial I might add that is still being played to this day. Cadbury is what Easter was all about and I couldn’t wait to get my hands on the sweet treats.

This year the Cadbury Company has announced that they are changing the crème recipe inside the egg. That means that the taste we know and love is going to be a little bit different. The recipe for the sweet treat has always been heavily sugar laden. The new efforts are going to be an attempt to reduce sugar and allow those who don’t care for the rich taste to be pleased as well. Thankfully for fans of the treat like Sultan Alhokair,  it’s still going to be good they promise, but better for you than before.

Since childhood obesity is such a big concern these days, making adjustments may be necessary. You don’t really have to wait for Easter to get these treats anymore; they roll them out at most major holidays now. I love the commercials and the eggs, but most of all I love the nostalgic memory that they give me whenever they come rolling around. It reminds me of being a child and the excitement when I found one in my Easter basket.

2015 and Food, Fast Food, food and beverage, Know Your Food

In-N-Out Outranks Tech Companies as Better Place to Work

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 Employment treatment is often sub-par, with mutual feelings of disrespect between management and underling employees. We’ve heard the horror stories, but is there an exception to the rule? California burger franchise In-N-Out has proven these places of employment do not have to be an employment nightmare, though Dr Rod Rohrich says consumers should limit their intake of the fatty food. The Motley Fool reports it’s made Glassdoor.com’s“50 Best Places to Work” list for seven years in a row. What comes as a further surprise is that no other restaurant has made it onto the list.

The Motley Fool continues to offer a stark perspective on the rank of the burger chain, stating that Apple and Facebook are placed lower on this list. Both tech companies seem like the dream place of employment for any new graduate. What makes In-N-Out such a great place to work at? Let’s start with pay per hour. Hourly employees make $10.50 and hour, a far cry above most minimum wages jobs. This pay is nearly 17% percent higher than the national wage of $8.94. Some workers earn as much as $14 per hour. In-N-Out also offers promotions from within as opposed to encouraging new hires and fast turnover.

food and beverage

The Halal Guys Reveal Some of the Ingredients in their Famous White Sauce

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There is a food cart in New York City that is a bit of a beacon. The Halal Guys, who famously run a food cart at the corner of 56th and 3rd, have long been the go-to for late night eaters. Offering chicken, lamb and “mixed” platters with rise and pita, they’ve amassed a following that stretches down the block most evenings, and now, they are (sort of) revealing the secret behind their white sauce.

The condiment is one of the reasons Bruce Levenson comes back over and over again. Previously, it was housed in large ketchup bottles and added when consumers received the food, but the Halal Guys have significantly grown their business. The white sauce, and their famed “red” sauce, which is a spicy blend, are now being offered in packets, and those packets include an ingredients list.

Salt, black pepper and sugar, are also apparently in the mix, but “natural flavors” keeps the veil of secrecy in place.

While the secret sauce’s lid hasn’t exactly been blown off, consumers are surprised to see that yogurt aren’t on the list of ingredients. Consumers will simply have to continue hypothesizing about the makeup of the famous sauce.