Nutrition & Foodservice Edge Magazine - July/August 2024 - 14

SPECTACULAR SUMMER SALADS
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" HOT AND SPICY " IS THE
CURRENT TREND.
Tossing nuts in a little bit
of cayenne and oil before
roasting them will add that
spicy touch everyone loves
right now.
However, that sugar can add unnecessary bad calories and
weigh down your feature. Instead, toast them in a hot oven.
Yes, it's simple, but it will add another dimension of flavor.
Before toasting them, what do you have on hand to add more
flavor to them? If you scan supermarket shelves, you will no
doubt see that " hot and spicy " is the current trend. Tossing
the nuts in a little bit of cayenne and oil before roasting
them will add that spicy touch everyone loves right now.
TOSSING IT ALL TOGETHER
Summer salads are a chance for us to wow our guests with
flavor and freshness that is not available year-round. The
key is to make sure we're ready. Have a calendar or harvest
schedule for the offerings in your locale. Start thinking of
those menu items and specials in advance. If your finance
office allows, take some petty cash and find a small farmer's
market in your area. This is a great way to know what's in
season and also allows you to source exceptional summer
produce hyper-locally. Area farmers are an excellent source
of information about what is getting ready to go out of
season and what they are excited about coming out of their
fields in the near future.
oil is perfect for lunch on the patio.
NUTS AND SEEDS
Even though we're talking about summer salads, nuts
and seeds are perfect ingredients for a salad year-round.
Consider grabbing a few sunflower heads and drying them
out. Not only will you be able to plant sunflowers for next
season, but you will have plenty of seeds for a few weeks of
salad specials.
For the summertime, stay away from large pieces of nuts
that can be oily and heavy. Instead, chop them up and use
them in smaller quantities for added flavor and texture.
The go-to preparation for many nuts is candying them.
Another advantage of befriending a local supplier is they are
able to tell you when there are changes and challenges to
the growing season. If you are planning some salad specials
that lean heavily on local tomatoes and blight is rampant in
your area, you will have instant access to that information
and someone that can help you make an adjustment. So be
ready.
Summer is here and gone before you know it. Take
advantage of all that the hot months have to offer so our
guests can have the experience of flavor and freshness they
deserve. Summer is the best time to put together salads
that showcase these ingredients in a way that satisfies, but
doesn't overwhelm. E
DAVID VOELZ, CEC, CWPC, CCA, WCEC, CDM, CFPP, FMP, FSWC |
david.voelz.jr@gmail.com
David Voelz is the Food Service Director for Holly Hill Hospital, Raleigh, N.C. He is a Past Chair of
the American Culinary Federation's National Certification Commission, and a Charter Member of
the ACF Sandhills Chef's Association.
14 NUTRITION & F OOD SER VICE EDGE | JULY-AUGUST 2024

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Nutrition & Foodservice Edge Magazine - July/August 2024

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