Turkey Dinner, Re-imagined
This holiday season, satisfy diners seeking new and unexpected flavors by putting a spin on the traditional Thanksgiving dinner. Incorporate popular food trends like bold flavors, ethnic fare and regional cuisine into your seasonal Thanksgiving menu offerings to tempt adventurous taste buds.
Bold flavors—More than 50% of diners say they find hot and spicy foods appealing. Add interest to Thanksgiving meals by using bold-flavored sauces, dips, condiments and spice rubs to turn up the heat.
- Menu inspiration: Spice up classic roasted turkey with a Cajun Blackening Seasoning Rub. Serve with a side of chipotle-roasted veggies and hatch chile corn pudding.
Ethnic fare—New and ethnic flavors are becoming a part of mainstream cuisine, especially among younger consumers. Concepts that cater to a younger clientele have a lot of room to experiment with out-of-the-box recipe ideas to boost incremental sales.
- Menu inspiration: Try a Caribbean-themed Thanksgiving meal. Prepare turkey drumsticks with Jamaican jerk and rum glaze, and serve over mashed sweet potatoes with pineapple-mango salsa and grilled vegetables.
Regional cuisine—Trend watchers are noting a renewed interest in homegrown flavors and regional American specialties. Thanksgiving is by far the most American holiday, so it’s the perfect time for regional American dishes to shine.
- Menu inspiration: Embrace southern-style cooking with roasted turkey, oyster stuffing, green beans cooked in pork stock and a bourbon-pecan tart for dessert.
Find more menu ideas and inspiration in our Culinary Center, and follow our Facebook and Twitter pages for our latest recipes.
SOURCE
The Flavor Consumer Trend Report, Technomic, 2013
