bake - September 2018 - 10

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Vibrant Vegetables
"There are marvelous opportunities to create new products
with vibrant vegetables," foodservice expert Nancy Kruse told
attendees at the 2018 National Restaurant Association Show
in Chicago. "Vegetables have a halo of health, which gives you
permission to innovate."
Vegetables are the hottest category on the menu of America's
restaurants over the past four years, Kruse says, citing industry
data based on number of product mentions on restaurant menus.
Following the popularity explosion of kale and cauliﬂower in
recent years comes "the great carrot revival" in 2018. Roasted
carrots are rising quickly on menus, showing an increase of 124

etable quality" to ﬂatbreads, which translates into more appeal

percent in the past four years, according to Datassential.

for America's growing numbers of vegetarians. "Middle Eastern
ﬂatbread is used like a sponge to absorb juices of chopped

Kale, brussels sprouts and little gem lettuce rank Nos. 1, 2 and 3

vegetables," Sortun says.

since 2014.
Earlier this year, Pie Five Pizza became the ﬁrst casual pizza
All-vegan New York City deli Orchard Grocer features a bagel

chain to introduce cauliﬂower pizza crust. The new crust is glu-

topped with spice-rubbed carrots instead of lox, along with

ten-free and contains 40 net carbohydrates, which is less than

cashew cream cheese and capers. Others across the nation

half of the net carbohydrates in any of Pie Five's other crusts.

offer such carrot-inspired foods as ravioli with a carrot-ricotta
ﬁlling, street tacos topped with barbecued carrots, and salads

America's youngest consumers are learning to become health-

dressed in a carrot vinaigrette. Acclaimed Detroit restaurant

conscious themselves. According to Mintel, 60% of parents with

Lady of the House raises the bar with its unique carrot "steak"

kids aged 12-17 in the household report saying "no" to their

made with carrots, hollandaise and pesto and presented much

kids' food and drink choices based on sugar content.

like an appetizing ﬁlet mignon.
This has inﬂuenced Gen Z, as one quarter of teens aged 15-17
Lady of the House owner Kate Williams, named as one of Amer-

say they worry about staying healthy.

favorite dessert with her version of potato donuts, which are

"Generation Z has come of age at a time when health and well-

served with chamomile sauce, dried yogurt and sugared thyme.

ness is a major consideration. However, health is multi-faceted
for this group, suggesting that better-for-you formulations such

James Beard award winner Anna Sortun of Sofra Bakery & Cafe

as craveable fruits and vegetables can be expanded to give

in Cambridge, Massachusetts, says bakers can capitalize on

this generation options that ﬁt with their ever-changing diet

unique ﬂavors of Turkish and Lebanese ﬂatbreads by featuring

priorities," says Dana Macke, associate director of Lifestyles and

vegetable toppings. Using red pepper paste, she adds a "veg-

Leisure Reports at Mintel.

GROWTH IN MENTIONS ON RESTAURANT MENUS SINCE 2014
Kale 240%

Brussels sprouts 154%

SOURCE: DATASSENTIAL

10 < SEP 2018 | bakemag.com

Little gem lettuce 141%

Roasted carrots 124%

ORCHARD GROCER

ica's 10 best chefs by Food & Wine, puts a vegetable spin on a
http://www.bakemag.com
bake - September 2018

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