Midwest Foodservice Expo a Source for Event Ideas

By David Caruso, Dynamic Events by David Caruso, Milwaukee, Wis., for the National Association for Catering and Events
The Midwest Foodservice Expo, held 
annually in March, is the largest regional foodservice event. It showcases thousands of food and beverage professionals displaying innovative products and “oldies, but goodies.”  This year, I visited the show to pick out things that easily can be incorporated into weddings and events. Which products and ideas caught my eye and taste buds?Miniature CocktailsProvided by Great Lakes Distillery (www.GreatLakesDistillery.com), mini cocktails are appearing on more bars than ever before. With this trend, you can create a one-of-a-kind drink for the bride and groom to show off their personalities and style.  The size of the drink advocates for sipping and enjoying the flavors rather than over consuming.  From champagne to gin, the recipe options are endless but each should be finished off with a stylish garnish and a creative name.Espresso barsThe plain ‘ol cup of joe served at most receptions is “out” and espresso drinks prepared to order by a trained barista is “in!” Espresso bars, like those provided at the Expo by Farmer Brothers (www.FarmerBros.com), create conversations and a buzz about your event.  Of course, there’s nothing better than a double espresso to help a guest sober up before sending them on their way at the end of the night.PopcornOne of the hottest snack foods is gourmet popcorn, like that of Buddy Squirrel (www.BuddySquirrel.com). It will be showing up at events more and more frequently.  The classic flavors like caramel, cheddar, and savory buttered remain popular, but it’s the more unusual ones like jalapeno, cinnamon, buffalo and bleu cheese, s’mores, and salted caramel that are popping up on food stations and in party favor bags.Reusable bamboo dinnerwareBeing eco-friendly isn’t a fad and now couples can reduce their carbon footprint during meal service thanks to dinnerware like that from Bamboo Studio (www.EcoBambooware.com)! The sheaths of a bamboo plant are cleaned, boiled, laminated to the desired thickness, and pressed into shape—creating a disposable dinnerware that is elegant, strong, and 100 percent biodegradable.  Caterers are using these products increasingly, and guests are shocked when they find out that they’re disposable.Handcrafted beersCraft beer, like those by New Glarus Brewing Co. (www.NewGlarusBrewing.com), remain popular—especially with grooms!  This trend features local brews, with quirky flavors and personalities, made in small batches. Craft brewers often blend the usual ingredients with interesting new twists. Their experimental approach leads to distinct flavors and unique brews which make them perfect for a tasting station at a wedding.Bacon, bacon, and more baconPeople’s love affair with this greasy, crispy, and deliciously naughty food, like that provided by Nueske’s (www.NueskeMeats.com), is stronger than ever!  This ingredient is used in everything from cocktails to desserts and is a definite crowd pleaser.  A related trend is having breakfast for dinner, which is another reason bacon is popular on wedding menus.  Instead of burger sliders as a late night-snack, think about a short stack of pancakes with a side of maple-glazed bacon.We scream for ice cream!It’s no doubt that we’ll always be kids at heart and this dessert trend proves it!  Companies like Cedar Crest Ice Cream (www.CedarCrest
Icecream.com) are concocting cool and complex flavors that are adored by ice cream fans nationwide.  At weddings, it can be featured as a pairing with dessert or at a fun dessert bar.  Sandwich a uniquely crafted flavor like Jumping Jersey Cow between two chocolate chip cookies and everyone “will be screaming for ice cream!”Each year, more food trends pop up in the culinary world—for better or worse.  People talk a lot about healthy, natural, local, organic, gluten-free, and dairy-free, but no matter how healthy, we still love our comfort food. That was evident at the Midwest Foodservice Expo. So have fun using these ideas as part of wedding menus and delight in how they enhance the guest experience!