Flavour of October: Food Reinvented
Food, glorious food – it’s not just a necessity but an endless creative outlet for foodies and chefs to fuss over with reinventions of all kinds. From coffee to herbs, various food and drinks are undergoing resurgence in popularity – or experiencing their first time in the spotlight – thanks to the ever changing ways of presenting food to customers.
Here’s a list of some of our finest food that’s been reinvented.
Ridiculous Burgers
Burgers have gone from menu staple to hero as gourmet burgers offer fillings beyond our wildest imaginations. Pop-ups dedicated to the dressed up burger are heralded as dining destinations, and high-class burgers are now appearing on fine dining menus. The burger mania is largely born from social envy; one snap of a triple topped burger seems enough to break any rules.
Deconstructed Coffee
It’s had a bad rep in the news, but we can’t blame the coffee connoisseurs who inspired this movement. Coffees are made up of three parts: espresso, milk, and water. Long black drinkers will shun the dairy, but many latte lovers have deep affection for their frothed milk. The deconstructed coffee separates all three elements of your cup of joy, providing a DIY experience for customers so they can mix it to their own desires. Does this take coffee snobbery too far? Apparently the customer is always right, so the answer is no!
Turmeric
Turmeric has been heralded as the new superhero ingredient – and now it’s considered a superhero for hot drinks too. Companies like Golden Grind are making a turmeric latte mix available for cafés, so baristas can give customers their bright orange delight with ease. Who’d have thought this kitchen spice would be the new craze?
Dirty Drinks
‘Dirty’ drinks aren’t as disconcerting as they sound – it’s a term used to reference a shot of caffeine added to what would have previously been a caffeine-free drink. Think dirty chai, dirty turmeric latte or, in what some are (rightly) concerned about – dirty green teas! Reinventing a hot drink to have a ‘dirty’ option has opened up a whole new floor of morning drink options.
Bulletproof
As if shots of caffeine weren’t enough to boost one’s body in the morning, there’s a new ‘bulletproof’ option. Also an official brand, the layman’s version of a bulletproof coffee is a coffee shot, hot water and a stick of butter, with some adding coconut oil. It’s considered a ‘high fat’ coffee popular with those on a paleo or low carb diet, and experts say that it’s meant to train your brain to burn fat faster and set you up for a sweet morning of success.
Naked Cakes
Cakes are getting undressed in this latest trend of exposed layers, minimal frosting, and decorated with flowers and fruits instead – some examples of these minimalist cakes can be found at Bakes Eleven in Melbourne.
Fancy Pants
What was once the simplest form of ice cream has now a much more elegant side job – you can find a fancy example at Zumbo’s Fancy Nance dessert bar in Melbourne where they serve delicate flavours into specialty cones, such as crème brûlée and brownie or dairy free coconut and chocolate flavoured ice cream served in donut cones.
Alcoholic Ice Cream
Icy poles are everyone’s favourite summer saviour – and in the last couple of years they’ve taken an adult turn with a reinvention that makes the sweet treat a little naughtier. From Baileys and liqueur flavoured ice cream to wine infused ice blocks, ice cream is no longer just a feature on the kids’ menu.
Cronut/Cruffin
Do you remember a time when donuts came two different ways: icing on top, or filling in the middle? Now there’s a cronut, cruffin or new pastries with different fillings. To say the humble pastry has been reinvented is an understatement, and cafés and restaurants around the country are seeing the benefits of adding them to their display cabinets and menus.
Toasties
For some, a ham and cheese toastie may lack the flair you’d want from a lunch order – but how about a pork belly and provolone jaffle? We are a nation of humble toastie lovers, and the translation of this trend into gourmet menu offerings has been enthusiastically received by customers around the country.
Sophisticated Beers
The reinvention of beer in pop culture has been slow and steady. The number and variety of beers available has opened the drink up to a wider range of customers. Low carb options, lighter flavours and even lower alcohol value have reinvented the favourite Friday night beverage into a sophisticated choice, and is enabling venues to supply a suitable option for customers who are traditionally non-beer drinkers.
From simple soft serves and lattes to extravagant gelatos and bulletproof coffee, this year’s tale of food certainly has had its twists and turns and the new inventions aren’t slowing. Creativity is the most important ingredient for the future of food, with flavours diverging and tastes growing, the possibilities are endless.
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