Show Authenticity With The Housemade Everything Trend

Today’s restaurant-goers want the food on their plate to tell a story. They want to know what farm the ingredients came from. They want to meet the maker and understand the process. They want a unique dining experience that looks as good on Instagram as it tastes in the restaurant. The more local, sustainable, small-batch, and authentic, the better.

That’s why chefs are using traditional methods to make things like pasta, salami, jam, and pickles. Housemade foods bring the attention back to the ingredients — where they came from, how they were prepared, their depth of flavor, and how they work with the other elements on the plate.

Not only does the housemade products trend allows chefs to create menu items that set them apart, but it also helps bring costs down, and gives customers the experience that they crave.

Be on the lookout for these housemade menu items.

Housemade Charcuterie

From European-style lardo, pâté, chorizo, and salami to American-style hot dogs and pork belly, chefs are using traditional methods to fabricate and cure their own meats.

Housemade Jam and Preserves

Why housemade jam and preserves? Because they’re considerably less expensive than purchased handcrafted jam and preserves, they’re simple to make, and they allow restaurants to create unique flavors that work with the items on their menu.

Housemade jams and preserves are also being used in creative ways including:

• Meat and cheese boards
• Fancy toast for breakfast
• Craft cocktails
• Ice cream toppings
• Glaze for vegetables

Housemade Pasta

It’s just flour, water, salt (and if you’re a real wild child, olive oil), but well-made pasta far exceeds the sum of its parts. If you have ever had pasta made by hand, you know how silky and flavorful it can be. Nothing against pasta from a box, but we love this trend.

Housemade Fermented Vegetables

You name it, and guaranteed, someone is pickling or fermenting it. One of the oldest traditions in food preservation, pickling and fermenting are all the rage right now. Their briny, vinegary flavor elevates dishes from all over the world. 

Look for:

• Kimchi
• Pickled, deviled eggs
• Pickled vegetables, fruits, and meats of all varieties

Next time you see housemade sausage, mozzarella, strawberry black pepper jam, gnocchi, or fried pickled peppers on the menu, don’t pass it up. You’ll taste the flavor and care that went into it. (And don’t forget to snap a picture — your friends need to know about this on social.)

Learn more about what’s coming up in the culinary world — check out the latest in FDR Food & Beverage Trends!