International Restaurant and Food Service Show

The International Restaurant and Food Service Show closed its doors yesterday and here I am with all the trends in food and catering I noticed as a press pass holder. This year, chocolate has a modest presence together with the very low numbers of seminar attendees. A sign of the recession era or simply because we all became less interested in catering, party food and chocolate?

Here are some trends as witnessed in between the aisles:

1. Small cones filled with cream, cheese, tomato sauce, ham and others served as an appetizer or just as a snack. They are cute and minuscule and I like them. For more info on creative food decoration visit: http://www.yohay.com/

2. Small paper cones were also popular with popcorn. Is this a new way to serve popcorn?

3. Ice cream in rare and unusual flavors as cream and sour cherry, green tea, wild cherry etc. And despite the freezing weather, everybody in the show had a sample (or three!)

4. Mochi ice cream, an ice cream wrapped inside a sweet rice cake in strawberry, red bean, chocolate, mango, vanilla and green tea flavor. Visit http://www.maeda-en.com/ for information or for purchases.

5. Overall, mini and small portions in food. To avoid misunderstandings, restaurants and menus never mention the word "small". They go for terms as "tapas", "flights", "petites", "slides". So, you go for a new word with a new plate or food and you save up (if you are a restaurant owner, consumers obviously are losing out on quantity). A new approach to confront recession?

After two days in the show, I feel my stomach full and I need a serous detox. Maybe a green tea mochi wouldn't be a bad idea.