Consumers and Operators alike are Hot for the Mediterranean Diet The chefs have spoken: 83% of chefs polled in the most recent NRA/ACF culinary forecast called out Mediterranean cuisine as either a “hot trend” or perennial favorite. There are several reasons for this consistent growth. Mediterranean cuisine is becoming more and more associated with healthful […]
Pasta Jay’s is a fun casual Italian concept featuring the family recipes of founder Jay Elowsky. Based in Boulder, CO, the highly successful and growing three-unit chain also has locations in Lone Tree, CO, Moab, UT and soon Hayes, KS. We spoke with Corporate Chef Tony Noto about the brand and one of his signature […]
Today we’re going to explore something a little bit different than our usual culinary topics, with a look “under the hood” at pasta’s signature ingredient, durum wheat. Since pasta is made of just wheat and water, the type and quality of the wheat are critical to produce a high-quality product. Where lower quality pastas are […]
Spaghetti alla Chitarra or “guitar” is named not for the distinctive square-shaped strands of pasta, but the special tool that was traditionally used to make them. It’s essentially a frame strung with steel wires (like guitar strings) spaced closely together. The closer together, the thinner the pasta will be. The pasta dough was pressed through […]
Orecchiette translates to “little ears” in Italian, looks like its name, with little ear-like cups that cradle and capture sauces. Barilla Orecchiette is one of few cuts produced exclusively in Italy using bronze dies as part of the Collezione line. The resulting traditional look and texture make it a great match for more rustic dishes. […]
This is the season for looking ahead to the new year, and once again we have the usual stew of writers and experts willing to step forward and cast their predictions. Here are some of the ones we found most compelling: NRN’s food editor Bret Thorn’s trend forecast for 2015 (registration required) Datassential’s take on […]
Today we’re going to dive into one of our favorite family of sauces, the pesto. It’s a surprisingly rich platform for innovation! Here in America we think of pesto as the combination of basil, parmigiano, garlic, pine nuts and olive oil. But the Pesto Genovese, as that recipe is properly called, is one of two […]
Each new year brings a fresh flurry of food trend predictions from the experts and pundits. They weigh in on everything from the next “it” foods (e.g., tacos are the food of the year; ugly root vegetables are the new kale), to macroeconomic and social psychological factors impacting consumer behavior. Each year at Barilla we […]
With Michelle Obama’s “Let’s Move” campaign, menu labeling regulations, and the ever-present obesity epidemic, the time is ripe for a focus on healthy dining. These are some of the best reads on the subject we’ve seen: Mintel: Health & Wellness Trends Report: For more information about the report, [email protected] Technomic: Lower Calorie Items Gaining Traction […]
Columbus Day this year marked 520 years since Italian culture first hit the shores of the Americas. It may surprise you that in 2014 Italian is still the #1 ethnic cuisine in the US by a wide margin. Menu incidence is more prevalent for Italian than the next five ethnic cuisines combined, including Mexican and […]
This summer we presented a seminar at the Flavor Experience conference in Newport Beach, CA called “Not Your Nonna’s Italian” – about using authentic, regional Italian cuisine to stay modern and relevant with today’s consumer. Regional Italian cuisines hold a wealth of new ideas for American menus, which have been dominated for years by what […]
A few things to noodle on – here are recent (within the last few months) articles about pasta and the menu: Food Management spotlights a regional American take on pasta, from UMASS Amherst – a New England lobster with roasted corn puree over angel hair. Pat Cobe of Restaurant Business examines how consumer demand for […]