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Essential Cuisine

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The Food People's Autumn Menu Watching

8th October 2021

Autumn is that time of year when we all start to wear scarves, hats, gloves, and warm jumpers. The nights draw in and the clocks go back. This is a time of year for menu changes, out go light, fresh salads and cold dishes from summer, and steaming bowls of comforting soup and slow-cooked dishes arrive on your menus - warming not only our customers bodies but comforting their souls too.

We have taken the leading trends from The Food People’s Autumn Menu Watching and combined them with some recipe inspiration to help you apply the expected trends to your menu.

Pumpkin!

Pumpkin!

Would it be autumn without pumpkins? All things pumpkin are trending right now, with the increasingly popular Pumpkin Spiced Latte from Starbucks being one of the most anticipated beverages on their menu each year. Go traditional with your menu with our Pumpkin Soup or try something more advanced with our Pumpkin and Ricotta Tortellini with Squash and Sage Velouté.

Shade of Brown!

Shade of Brown!

We often speak about ingredients and the seasonality, but this autumn shades of brown are trending across multiple outlets of life including home décor and fashion as well as this autumns dish choices, designed to connect customers with nature. Mushrooms, slow-cooked stews and curries are a selection of foods falling into this trend. Our Chestnut Mushroom Stroganoff perfectly delivers this projected trend, as well as our Braised Oxtail.

Comfort Classics

Comfort Classics

Autumn is that time of year where we all want a bit of comfort in our food, warming dishes that give us a hug. Comfort and familiar foods are strewn across menus, full of flavour that take you back to your childhood, based on mashed potato, pasta and often with plenty of cheese added. Take a look at our Braised Pulled Beef Cottage Pie or a childhood favourite, Macaroni Cheese.

Warm Doughs

Warm Doughs

Doughnuts, waffles and cookie dough has soared in popularity in recent years with customers being given the option to chose their own indulgent toppings and fillings. Take a look at our doughnut concept packed with mouth-watering recipes, from a Brûlée doughnut to classic custard, to inspire your creations this autumn.

Fried Bites

Fried Bites

Anything deep-fried is appealing to most customers and offers a level of comfort, bound in crunchy breadcrumbs or batter gives that real touch of decadence. We love our Asian Spiced Prawn Arancini for an authentic pan-Asian addition to your menu, but for more traditional British flavours check out our Corned Beef Hash Bon Bons.

Plant-based Twist! 

Plant-based Twist!

Plant-based versions of their meat-filled cousins are appearing on menus, meaning no one is going to miss out on these autumny, warming comfort foods. Shepherd and cottage pies are made with vegetables, beans and pulses. Pies, stews and bourguignon are created with plant-based ‘meats’ and fun names are called out such as chutter bicken. Our Vegan Flavoured Stock Mixes are the perfect products to support your working kitchen deliver on this ever-growing trend. Use them in our Vegan Beef Flavoured Stew or Vegan Sausage Casserole.

For more trend, recipe inspiration and general news, follow us on Twitter or Instagram!

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