Flavor Trends, Strategies and Solutions for Menu Development

By Mike Kostyo

 

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At Superfrico, with locations in Las Vegas and Atlantic City, the negroni has to match the concept’s “anything goes” Italian-American psychedelic vibes. Enter the Pizza Party Negroni, which starts with Icelandic Askur gin, adds classic Campari and sweet vermouth, and then things go off the rails in the best way possible. Savory notes inspired by pizza enter the picture: Roma tomato water, basil and Castelvetrano olives, resulting in an improbable, exciting, decidedly unconventional riff on the classic that adds new textures and unexpected depths of flavor.

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Over a century ago, Count Camillo Negroni walked into Florence’s Café Casoni, asked that his usual Campari and vermouth be finished with gin instead of soda (he must have been having a particularly rough day), and a legendary cocktail was born. Once relatively unknown to most Americans, the drink has enjoyed a renaissance in recent years, driven by America’s newfound penchant for bitter drinks. The cocktail has become so common that it has spawned offshoot trends on drink menus, including white negronis, mezcal negronis and the negroni sbagliato craze. Here we look at some of the most unique negroni builds on menus today, showcasing how a simple three-ingredient cocktail can be the foundation for endless flavor play.

About The Author

Mike Kostyo

Mike Kostyo is the VP of Menu Matters, a private consultancy that works with foodservice professionals to analyze, understand and leverage food and beverage, industry and consumer trends. Kostyo has been a recurring guest on Fusion TV’s “The A.V. Club” show; has been featured on NBC News, CBS Radio and Gimlet Media’s “Why We Eat What We Eat” podcast; is regularly featured in newspapers and magazines; speaks at numerous conferences across the country; and was a judge on Food Network’s “Eating America.” For over a decade, he was the resident Trendologist and an Associate Director at Datassential, one of the food industry's leading insights companies. Kostyo has a master’s in Gastronomy from Boston University, plus certificates in the culinary arts, baking arts, wine and artisan cheese production. He is a regular contributor to Flavor & The Menu and can be reached at [email protected].