The National Restaurant Association’s annual “What’s Hot” survey taps into the hive mind of nearly 650 chefs. You may be surprised to learn that 69% of those asked, and this was the highest rank in the survey, agreed that “globally inspired breakfast” will be the year’s leading trend. Last year, Datassential, a supplier of trends, analysis and concept testing for the food industry, explored the variety of breakfast dishes popular across the world, from Chinese congee to kaya toast in Singapore to Lebanon’s favorite breakfast, manakish. Here are some traditional early riser eats from around that world and how they could translate to US menus soon.
Brazil. Have a morning craving for cheesy carbs? Pao de queijo, or baked cheese bread, is a ubiquitous snack food in Brazil, sold at snack stalls starting early in the morning. The treats are often eaten for breakfast along with a cup of coffee. At Brazil’s Casa De Pao De Queijo, or “The Cheese Bread House,” you’ll find the bread balls also filled with ingredients like guava paste or cottage cheese with olives. Imagine cheesy croissants modeled after these Brazilian buns.
Singapore. As a melting pot of several cultures, breakfast in Singapore varies widely – it’s not uncommon to eat everything from prawns to noodles or rice stir-fries, especially from the country’s ubiquitous hawker stalls. The national Singaporean breakfast food, however, might be kaya toast, or bread topped with butter or margarine and kaya, a custardy jam made with sugar, egg, coconut, and pandan leaves (which has a flavor reminiscent of vanilla), often paired with coffee and a soft-boiled egg. Put a spin on the classic toast and jam breakfast combo by taking inspiration from kaya – create your own version of the sweet coconut jam or offer more unique jam flavors like a savory bacon jam. Savory jams are now the fastest growing sandwich condiment, even surpassing siracha, according to Datassential’s MenuTrends database — try a savory jam on a breakfast sandwich.
England. In the UK, traditional breakfasts are super hearty, typically featuring platters piled high with back bacon, British sausage, fried eggs, potatoes, tomatoes, baked beans, and toast or fried bread. At nearly 80-location Little Chef, headquartered in London, you’ll find the full English breakfast, or fry up, along with other classic British fare like Chicken Tikka Masala and Cottage Pie. The beauty of many globally-inspired breakfasts is that they often feature ingredients that can be cross-utilized throughout your operation – those same baked beans on the fry up can also serve as a lunch or dinner side, while items like granola can add a crunchy topping to morning parfaits as well as sweeter desserts.
Lebanon. At Breakfast to Breakfast in Lebanon, you’ll find a full spread of breakfast eats, namely manakish, a flatbread “pizza” often seasoned with the Mediterranean spice blend za’atar. As the breakfast space becomes more crowded, it can pay to put a global spin on your traditional breakfast staples. Consumers are already seeing flatbread breakfast sandwiches at chains like Subway, so why not take it a step further and create a flavorful flatbread topped with cheese and eggs and eaten like a pizza?
Breakfast is unique in that there are really only a handful of commonly known staple dishes, like pancakes, eggs, and waffles, often found at nearly every breakfast or brunch joint. Amp up your breakfast routine by trying something a little out of the ordinary to perk up your morning.
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