{F}ood Trucks….A Few {F}un {F}acts: #AtoZChallenge 2016

The last time that I did this challenge, for my Letter ‘F‘, I blogged about ‘Farm to Table ‘

I luv’ed the concept then and even thought about re-blogging it for this post.  *wasn’t sure if that would be cheating.  Sheepish grin* .  So I picked a not-so-new-but-equally-as-exciting  ‘F’ word.

No. Not that F-word!

 The other one – Food Truck, of course!

Wikipedia defines a food truck as

“A food truck is a large vehicle equipped to cook and sell food.^[1] Some, including ice cream trucks, sell frozen or prepackaged food; others have on-board kitchens and prepare food from scratch. Sandwiches, hamburgers, french fries, and other regional fast food fare is common. In recent years, associated with the pop-up restaurant phenomenon, food trucks offering gourmet cuisine and a variety of specialties and ethnic menus, have become particularly popular.^[2] Food trucks, along with portable food kiosks and food carts, are on the front line of the street food industry that serves an estimated 2.5 billion people every day.^[3][4]

Today’s food trucks are not the mobile grease machines of yesteryear that went, largely, unregulated *read ‘food petri dish’*.

The food trucks today can be as well-equipped as a well-appointed chef’s kitchen and clean enough to “eat off of the floor” *in the proverbial since*.

Food trucks existed well before the early 2000s, but many sources pinpoint 2008 as the unofficial onset of the food truck phenomenon.

I found this infographic about theseverything trendy ‘Meals on Wheels’. Check it out:

I’m lucky enough to work in an area that I can, at lunchtime,  run out and grab a food truck meal.  I hope that you can too!

Got a favorite food truck?

Do tell….

Next.  Letter {G}

{F}arm to Table …. Supporting {F}armers, {F}amilies & Communities through {F}ood…. #AtoZChallenge2014

Hello Luv-lies,  How was everyone’s weekend?

The weather was pretty nice

Day #6  of the #AtoZChallenge2014

The Letter ‘F’

{F}arm to Table

The general concept and mission of {F}arm to Table  is to help local farms thrive, link {F}armers to markets and supporters, and build healthy communities through connections to local {F}ood. The mission can/is achieved through (but not limited to) providing support and training to area {F}armers, connecting {F}armers to area chefs and foodservice buyers and spearheading local food campaigns.

The premise is based on the idea that, “when communities pay closer attention to where their {F}ood is grown and how it reaches their table, and,  people re-discover the “localness” of all that’s around them, {F}ood suddenly has a sense of place.  {F}arms and restaurants build close relationships, strengthening their local economies and forging new cultural identities for their communities … all based on {F}ood …”

 

What’s your {F}arm to Table experience?

…. do Tell ….

Tomorrow … The Letter ‘G’

8 Food Trends Not To Miss in 2014

Good Morning Luv-lies,

What does: gluten-free everything, the use of natural ingredients, cupcakes {all kinds – including gluten-free & vegan}, kale chips and bacon with chocolate anything, have in common?  If you guessed that they were food trends that came into there own in 2013, then *ding. ding. ding.* you are right!

Because of their short-lived popularity, I don’t usually follow trends.  However, I’ve found that food trends have become the exception to my, otherwise, steadfast rule.  Unlike most trends, food trends won’t leave you with tons of expensive unusable dated  items that you quickly grow to regret purchasing.  Instead, food trends will allow you to explore the world of food, beyond what you may have ever imagined.  In addition to being tastefully pleasing, there is also the visual and olfactory pleasures that can be derived from juuuust the right food .   Through food, we can be transported to that time, place and/or experience that brought us comfort, delight and fulfillment.

In all honesty, it’s been the vast array of food oriented programming that seems to have exploded on the television scene, that has gotten me interested and intrigued with ‘all things food’.  I realized some time ago that their are two types of ‘foodies’ – Those who derive great pleasure from preparing food.  And those who derive pleasure from consuming the deliciousness produced by the former.  For many, many years, I have shamelessly been a flag waving member of the latter.  As such, I just didn’t understand the hoopla about something that it so fundamentally necessary!  After all… food is just food – right?

 NOT!

You see, what I’ve come to learn and  is that chefs, truly have a different relationship with food *that’s fodder for another post*.  I guess that you can say that, through the magic of television, I’ve crossed over from being just a consumer of food to one who has come to revel in the delight, excitement and enjoyment that can be derived from preparing/presenting/plating food.  *aside*- now I know that a chef that does not make me *big smile*

  That being said, I have to admit, that I now look at these culinary shows with a different insight.  That insight includes realizing that, like other things, food has its trend.  What? Food. Trendy?   …. Well yeeeey!  So without further ado, here is my unofficial list of  eight of this year’s food trends::

~1~

Infused Ice Cubes

~2~

Ice Cream Sandwiches

~3~

Farm 2 Table Eating

~4~

Food Tastings

~5~
 Specialty Food Trucks

~6~

Salad in a Jar

~7~

Cauliflower  {ala ‘Pink Cauliflower Soup’}

~8~

Wine. Champagne.  Beer. {as a braise for whatever it is that your heart desires}

 That’s my list.  I can’t wait until the end of the year to see how many I’ve nailed

How did I do?

… Do tell …