What does a person remember most about a delicious dish?
This answer can seem to varied to pin down at a glance. Some want their food offered in a timely manner. Others want to indulge in a favorite they return to time and time again. An element most customers can agree on, however, is a beautiful presentation. There’s something particularly special about a dish that was crafted just for you, no matter how long you’ve been waiting for it, and it can leave an impression that lasts well beyond the day. Micro green varieties are a key ingredient in many restaurants today and we’re going to explore why they’re making a comeback.
Adding microgreens to salads and crystalized flowers to pastries may just be what people remember most about your business.
Food presentation is an art form in of itself. While baking, grilling and frying all have their unique traits, an element that ties them all together is presenting them in a way that’s both compelling and tasty. In fact, just as much psychology goes into food presentation as cooking skills do. Children, for example, often prefer a wider arrangement of colors and flavors. Adults, on the other hand, tend to lean toward more minimal color schemes and bolder flavors. Micro green varieties are just one of many ways to achieve this.
Micro green varieties have been used for longer than you think. Some estimates believe they’ve been around for 30 years, with the last few years making a significant comeback in many industries. Edible flowers for salads can be used to add an even brighter pop of color to a recipe, while edible blossoms are considered the perfect touch-up to an already cute pastry. No matter what your goal is, using petite microgreens to enhance your menu will only push your restaurant to the forefront.
There are over 100 different types of common garden flowers that are both edible and palatable, able to be used as a minor decoration or even the main appeal of the dish. Some of the most common varieties include the crystallized rose (particularly popular for weddings), the crystallized viola, the crystallized pansy and various other flower and sugar crystal combinations. Visits to fine-dining restaurants have increased to 3% over the past year, which is thousands, potentially millions, of Americans choosing to eat out.
Today the upscale restaurant industry makes up around 10% of all American restaurant sales. According to recent data provided by the Bureau Of Labor Statistics households with incomes of $100,000 or higher are responsible for nearly 40% of the total spending on food away from home. The average fine dining cost per person in the United States averages at $30, to boot. As you can see, there’s an entire world of growth when you add micro green varieties to your menu design.
Micro green varieties, from herb crystals to edible lavender flowers, aren’t easy to make. In fact, bringing out their best in flavor and color is best left to professionals familiar with the careful growing process involved in crafting these iconic additions. Microgreens need to be stored at an optimal temperature of 39 degrees Fahrenheit and have a strict scale rating to determine their suitability for your menu. One is the poorest level, while five is rated as excellent. The marketability threshold wavers between three and four. The effort, however, is well worth it.
More people are eating out than ever before. Give them something to talk about with an edible candy flower or artfully arranged series of organic micro greens.