After one of hottest summers on record, cooler weather is finally shifting customer eating patterns. With lower temperatures come cravings for heartier textures and earthier flavors.
SHOWCASE IDEAS FOR OPERATORS
- Roasting: High heat gives produce like beets, carrots, potatoes, and squashes crispy outer edges that yield to tender, starchy interiors that evoke nostalgic food memories. Pair these ingredients with bold glazes, condiments, and sauces like chili crisp, gochujang, adobo, miso, and togarashi yogurt to modernize the classics.
- Simmering: Soups, stews, and mashes are spotlight comfort foods that can be modernized with spice blends and fresh herbs. Combine kitchen staples such as potatoes, onions, tomatoes, and mushrooms with trending favorites like kale, collard greens, leeks, and chile peppers.
- Searing: Animal proteins are the only items that benefit from a charring sear in the pan or on the grill—think sweet baby broccoli, Brussels sprouts, tomatoes, citrus, apples, and pears. Caramelizing the natural sugars adds balance and depth of flavor, making dishes more memorable.
- Baking: Crank up the oven—cold desserts are so last season. Traditional fall fruits like apples, cranberries, grapes, pears, persimmons, and quinces make tender, delicious pies, crumbles, tarts, and cakes.
SEASONAL PRODUCE CHECKLIST
- Roasting: RSS Baby Carrots, MFC Jumbo Carrots, MFC Potatoes, RSS Whole Peeled Red Onions, beets, and winter squashes.
- Stewing: MFC Potatoes, RSS Chopped Collard Greens, RSS Sliced Yellow Onions, RSS Peeled Garlic, MFC Mushrooms, and MFC Tomatoes,
- Searing: RSS Sweet Baby Broccoli, RSS Halved Brussels Sprouts, MFC Tomatoes, MFC Apples, MFC Pears, MFC Oranges, and MFC Lemons.
- Baking: MFC Apples, MFC Pears, MFC and ESS Seedless Grapes, cranberries, pomegranates, quinces, kumquats, bananas, prickly pears, and gooseberries.
