Start Your Day the Mediterranean Way
We hear it all the time…”Breakfast is the most important meal of the day”. In the past, it was the meal that we were most often willing to overlook in the interest of time or convenience. Today the foodservice breakfast segment has grown to a $46.5 billion business making it almost impossible for anyone to find an excuse to skip breakfast. Consumers are increasingly eating breakfast out of the house. Of the 5 day parts, this is the only one that is experiencing traffic growth*.
As the segment has grown, it‘s not enough for an operation to offer breakfast, consumers are demanding healthier and/or more creative options to start out their day. This will be the first of four blog entries to address just that. I will demonstrate how Kronos products – typically only found on the lunch or dinner menus – can be used to innovate your breakfast menu in order to capitalize on these industry trends.
In previous blogs, I’ve discussed our fantastic non-fat Greek yogurt and its basic uses and health benefits as a substitute for mayo and sour cream. But, today I would like to offer up a couple of new suggestions that are sure to brighten up your breakfast menu. Pancakes and French toast are breakfast staples at nearly every diner in the country – often topped with fruit compotes, nuts, powdered sugar, whipped cream, or butter and syrup. In my opinion, as chefs have continued to take French-rooted dishes such as these, and attempt to “Americanize” them; they have become less like breakfast foods and more like desserts. They are often way too sweet, and inherently high in calories, sugars and fat. I’m a big fan of combining different taste and texture sensations – playing them off one another to create a more holistic sensory experience.
Start with Kronos non-fat Greek yogurt and add a touch of honey or blue agave syrup, then the seeds from a vanilla bean, and finally some freshly chopped basil and chill mixture. Adorn your fresh, hot pancakes with warm strawberry/blueberry compote, toasted maple granola for crunch; and the Greek yogurt sauce you made previously and chilled. The acidity of the Greek yogurt, tempered slightly with the addition of honey and vanilla – will cut through the sweetness of the fruit and starchiness of the pancakes. The fresh basil pairs perfectly with the strawberries, giving the dish a zesty, yet earthy quality often reserved for more savory dining occasions. And finally, in addition to adding interesting texture; the toasted nuttiness of the granola provides an unmistakable aroma that will permeate your dining room.
The ideas above will help you take a breakfast comfort food and turn it into your hottest selling breakfast item. Greek yogurt consumption has soared* and consumers are always looking for new ways to pair it with other foods. Stay tuned for my next entry when I will teach you how to make a unique hummus dip with Greek yogurt.
Keep Food Fun,
Chef Nick
*Source: http://www.nbcnews.com/business/consumer/breakfast-menu-switch-has-food-makers-scrambling-n142991
