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SHOWCASE IDEAS FOR OPERATORS: BBQ

Although barbecue is a year-round customer favorite, summer is when this style of eating hits its peak. Smoky, umami flavors paired with classic and updated produce sides bring the grill inside.

  • Kansas City. Low and slow smoked meats rubbed with caramelized sugar are hallmarks of this hugely popular style. Great pairings include baked beans, mayonnaise-based coleslaw, stewed collard greens, and fried okra.
  • Carolina. Centered on whole-hog roasting with a vinegar-based mop sauce, this style pairs best with red vinegar slaw, black-eyed peas, and mayonnaise-based potato salad.
  • Memphis. Best known for tender pulled pork with a thinner, tangy sauce, side dishes for this style include hush puppies, corn on the cob, Southern green beans, and barbecue spaghetti.
  • Texas. Beef is king in this state, especially ribs and brisket, cooked with a dry rub. Sides popular with this style are vinegar-based potato salad with egg, spicy pinto beans, creamed corn, and collard greens.

SEASONAL PRODUCE CHECKLIST

  • Coleslaws: Ready-Set-Serve (RSS) Fine Shredded Cabbage, RSS Heart-Y Slaw, RSS Shredded Red Cabbage, and RSS Super Slaw.
  • Potato Salads: MFC Idaho Potatoes, RSS Shredded Carrots, RSS Washed & Trimmed Green Onions, and RSS Sliced Onions.
  • Vegetable Sides: RSS Trimmed Green Beans, RSS Chopped Collard Greens, RSS Broccoli Florets, fresh okra, and corn on the cob.
  • Salads: RSS Kale Color Crunch, RSS Heritage Blend, RSS Romaine Hearts, and RSS Hearts & Hearts.

Diners are increasingly hyper-focused on high-protein and plant-based foods. Alongside all of the new-fangled, lab-based, cell-cultured options out there is the humble bean. A staple food for millenia, beans are being re-examined as a healthy, versatile ingredient worthy of menu inclusion.

  • Retro and heirloom recipes—like Southern succotash, French cassoulet, and Cajun red beans and rice—fit the bill for those in search of authenticity.
  • Most world cuisines incorporate some type of bean in their classic dishes. Think feijoada in Brazil, black beans and rice with plantains in Puerto Rico, and garbanzo beans in Israel. Modern interpretations of these recipes are packed with produce and herbs.
  • The creamy texture of mung beans is proving an ideal substitute for those that are eliminating soy from their diets.