The demand for global flavors and ethnic cuisine has been rising so steadily over the past several years, it’s hard to simply call it a “trend” anymore. It has become the new normal.

People want to experience unique flavors that excite them, which explains why 80% of consumers eat at least one ethnic cuisine per month.¹

Latin flavors are particularly popular today—they’re listed as a top 5 global flavor trend for 2017 by restaurant.org. And as we’re sure you’ve surmised by now, we suggest that the possibilities aren’t limited to the main course.

The Latin culture has contributed many noteworthy offerings to the dessert menu, from the fried dough pastry allure of churros, to the airy sponge cake delight of tres leches, to the familiar decadence of Mexican chocolate.

You can tap into the goodness of Latin-inspired desserts easily and lusciously when you start with offerings from Sweet Street.

The Peruvian Swirl Cacao Bande features moist, dark chocolate cake and crisp milk chocolate feuilletine crunch complementing our deeply flavored chocolate mousse made from Peruvian chocolate. Meanwhile, the Peruvian Chocolate Manifesto™ Brownie delivers a dense and fudgy full-bodied chocolate experience.

As with any ethnically inspired menu item, you’ll want to play up the story behind these luscious offerings as much as the flavor. Each is made with single-origin Peruvian chocolate, sustainably grown by a small collective in the Andean valleys of southern Peru.

Dulce de Leche Xango

You’ll also find an intriguing Latin story to share with our Cheesecake Xangos® individual desserts, which feature creamy cheesecake wrapped in a pastry tortilla that is fried until flaky and golden.

While the true origin of Xangos is up for debate, these delightfully crispy and creamy treats are generally associated with Mexican cuisine. To further the Latin theme, make it our Dulce de Leche Cheesecake Xangos®. Literally translated as “candy made of milk,” dulce de leche is a popular confection throughout Latin America.

¹NRA, Global Palates: Ethnic Cuisines and Flavors in America, April 2015

Source link:   http://www.restaurant.org/Downloads/PDFs/News-Research/WhatsHot/What-s-Hot-2017-FINAL

A proprietary formula was created for us in 2009 and is the most used flavoring in our bakery. Vanilla crops are endangered today due to pollination issues and our
flavoring partner supports our farmers with sustainability programs.

While “Bourbon” is most widely associated with the whiskey, this vanilla is alcohol-free. Grown on Madagascar, Réunion this vanilla is commonly known as “Bourbon vanilla” after the former name of Reunion, IIe Bourbon.

Bourbon vanilla beans from Madagascar are superior, with flavor and aromatic qualities that make Madagascar vanilla beans the most popular and sought after vanilla variety. We use a proprietary formula, developed by our team of R&D Chefs, of pure Madagascar Bourbon vanilla throughout all of our bakery products, including our award-winning Manifesto Cookies and Bars.

“ According to popular belief, the Totonac people, who inhabit the east coast of Mexico in the present-day state of Veracruz, were the first to cultivate vanilla. According to Totonac mythology, the tropical orchid was born when Princess Xanat, forbidden by her father from marrying a mortal, fled to the forest with her lover. The lovers were captured and beheaded. Where their blood touched the ground, the vine of the tropical orchid grew. In the 15th century, Aztecs invading from the central highlands of Mexico conquered the Totonacs, and soon developed a taste for the vanilla pods. They named the fruit tlilxochitl, or “black flower”, after the matured fruit, which shrivels and turns black shortly after it is picked. Subjugated by the Aztecs, the Totonacs paid tribute by sending vanilla fruit to the Aztec capital, Tenochtitlan.

Until the mid-19th century, Mexico was the chief producer of vanilla. In 1819, French entrepreneurs shipped vanilla fruits to the islands of Réunion and Mauritius in hopes of producing vanilla there. After Edmond Albius discovered how to pollinate the flowers quickly by hand, the pods began to thrive. Soon, the tropical orchids were sent from Réunion to the Comoros Islands, Seychelles, and Madagascar, along with instructions for pollinating them. By 1898, Madagascar, Réunion, and the Comoros Islands produced 200 metric tons of vanilla beans, about 80% of world production. According to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation, Indonesia is currently responsible for the vast majority of the world’s Bourbon vanilla production and 58% of the world total vanilla fruit production.”[1]

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vanilla

*main image of vanilla bean bunch is courtesy of vanillaqueen.com