California Walnuts recently returned from Newport Beach after an exciting and informative few days at The 2015 Flavor Experience, a boutique, hands-on conference for food and beverage professionals.
This year’s event took place from August 3-5 at the Newport Beach Marriott Hotel & Spa. The conference featured tastings and education sessions, encouraging suppliers and menu decision-makers to put their heads together on innovative new recipe ideas. As a platinum-level sponsor, the California Walnut Board created opportunities for over 500 operators and restaurant industry professionals to taste California walnuts in a variety of menu applications and dayparts. Aimed to showcase the delicious versatility of the nut at each meal, the menu ranged from simple flavorings in traditional uses to center of the plate applications. Chef Guy Meikle, California Walnuts’ culinary partner from Charlie Baggs, Inc., was also on hand to assist with the preparation of each plate, as well as to provide background information and answer questions about the creation of each walnut dish. A sampling of these dishes included:
- California Walnut & Brown Butter Biscuits topped with Roasted California Walnut and Mushroom Gravy
- California Walnut Pesto and Spaghetti Frittata
- California Walnut Thai Salad Spring Rolls
- Turkey, California Walnut & Mushroom Sausage
- Vegan California Walnut Chorizo tacos served with Walnut Crema
- Gluten-Free California Walnut Chocolate Macaron Pops
- Aloo Walnut Samosas with Cilantro-California Walnut Mint Chutney
As further emphasized during the conference, health-minded and “crave-able” dishes are becoming popular, especially among Generation Z diners. This coincides with the demand for veg-centric plates and plant-based proteins that chefs are experiencing as of late. Fortunately, California Walnuts was paying attention and has been working for you to keep up with the trends while creating delicious and nutritious recipes that all generations will enjoy. Here are just a few:
- California Walnut Smashburger
- Walnut Gremolata
- No-Cook Walnut Bolognese
- Beluga Lentils with Walnuts and Spring Vegetables
- Walnut Soy-Miso Tsukemeh
- Whole Wheat Honey Walnut Flatbread Crust
Stay tuned for our next issue of Walnuts at Work for more information about emerging trends and all of the great new recipes from California Walnuts!
