The saying ‘opposites attract’ is one that is often overused, but it can make a lot of sense in the context of food and it has allowed chefs to experiment with ingredients to find the next menu trend.
Finding a palatable blend of flavours is often the aim of the game as a chef and there’s a few obvious combinations. Steak and mushroom sauce, fish and chips, potato and gravy to name a few. But in a day and age where the customer is spoilt for choice when it comes to dining options, it doesn’t hurt to do something different. If anything, an outlandish culinary creation will at least capture the imagination of those browsing your menu.
It’s one thing to create something buck-wild to get a bit of attention on your business’ social media feed, but the real challenge is making it taste good. A successful pairing of two contrasting flavours will not only shock your customers, but ‘wow’ them when they realise how good it tastes. Give them this type of experience, and it will get people talking about their newfound appreciation for XY and Z.
So, in honour of unconventional flavour pairings, here are some of the most favoured of years gone by:
1) Popcorn and ice cream
It’s hard to tell if this delightful combination was born in the kitchen or upon a trip to the cinema. Ice cream plays host to a number of sweet/savoury combinations, but we think that this could be the best!
2) Peanut butter burgers
Peanut butter is one of the most popular spreads when it comes to your morning toast, but who knew it’d go so well in a burger? With the recent ‘burger boom’ it was only a matter of time before chefs put two and two together.
3) Banana and bacon
Pancake and waffle lovers are lucky in the sense that they no longer have to pick between sweet and savoury. This combo has quickly become a staple for cafes across the country.
4) Strawberries and balsamic
Sometimes a trend is actually an age-old recipe making a comeback, and this is the case for these two conflicting flavours. For those that aren’t aware, strawberries and balsamic is a longstanding Italian blend, and it’s surprisingly tasty!
5) Chicken and pickle brine
Chicken and pickle brine is more than just a fun rhyme, they actually blend together quite well in a culinary sense too! Fast food chain Chick-Fil-A have become a major player in the US market for their chicken, and it turns out they cook their chicken in pickle brine. Go figure!
6) Pineapple in pizza and burgers
One of the more controversial table topics is the use of the pineapple in pizza and burgers. We appreciate all opinions on this, but at Riviana we’re all for it! So much so that we’ve got Pizza Cut Pineapple and Burger Sliced Pineapple on offer for any chef willing to go there.
7) Bloody Marys and steak
It’s not something you would think to pair together, on account of when these two menu items are served traditionally (Bloody Mary for brunch/lunch and steaks for dinner). But now that you’ve thought of it, it’s hard to resist. Bring on steak night!
8) Peanut butter and pickle sandwiches
Picklelovers will say that there’s not much that the humble pickle can’t improve! Peanut butter is no exception. A sturdy spread, peanut butter is capable of withstanding the pickle juice and will save your sandwich from falling apart in your hands.
9) Cheddar cheese and apple pie
It wouldn’t be weird to see apple on a cheese platter, so it shouldn’t be a surprise that cheddar cheese and apple pie is a thing! The next time you’re baking apple pie, try baking cheddar into the crust and give it a go for yourself.
10) Mango and chilli powder.
We’ve talked a lot about sweet and savoury, but how about sweet and spice? Mango makes for an excellent equaliser when it comes to spice and is often mixed with hot sauce in Mexican dishes.
These are just a few of the popular blends created over time, but what dynamic duos are still to come? If you can come up with a killer combo, be sure to let us know about it! Message us on Facebook for your chance to feature on our page.