It’s been a busy year for menu development. Restaurants have been active in efforts to differentiate concepts, spark consumer interest in the menu, and drive customer traffic with the promise of value, quality or simply something new.
A McKinsey & Co. study finds consumers in Mexico have remained considerably more brand loyal than their American counterparts since the onset of the economic downturn.
The poll of 2,200 shoppers from Mexico and 1,000 from America found 70% of the former had trimmed their spending since the beginning of the downturn. By comparison, only 45% of the latter had done so.
According to Ambrose Bierce, in The Devil’s Dictionary, sauce is “the one infallible sign of civilization and enlightenment.” He added, “A people with no sauces has one thousand vices; a people with one sauce has nine hundred and ninety-nine.”
Thousands of industry experts, media and students gathered in Las Vegas in June for the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) 2012 annual meeting and food exhibition.
Although many changes have occurred in cooking over the centuries, simmering ingredients in water to create soup or stew is basically the same process—from cave dwellers to modern kitchens.