Viking Range Corporation
Viking Range Corporation continues to branch out and improve upon more product categories, introducing cutlery, cookware, and small appliances. A recent focus on lifestyle with cooking schools and travel components is a way of connecting with customers and leading the industry. The creation of The Viking Life, www.thevikinglife.com, and the Worlds of Flavor™ travel program have played integral roles as Viking has begun offering consumers an alternative path to its customer experience.
Viking blenders are an example of professional cooking equipment that supports the trend of eating more fruits and vegetables. Trying to meet the most recent Dietary Guidelines of up to 13 servings of fruit and vegetables per day is a challenge for many. A strategy can be to not think of vegetables and fruits simply as "sides", but rather as a prominent component of any meal.
Chefs are meeting the challenge by developing a wide array of sauces, soups, and dressings as a way to increase fruit and vegetable usage on American menus. From a flavor perspective it is another complex layer that also adds color and menu appeal. From a health perspective, it offers more opportunities to increase fruit and vegetable consumption. The true advantage may actually come from a synergistic effect of the meal. Combining colorful fruits and vegetables with healthy grains, plant oils, nuts, and lean proteins can enhance and maximize how these nutrients work in the body.
A green goddess dressing of avocado, fresh herbs, and healthy oil can enhance the antioxidant activity of dark leafy greens and fat soluble antioxidants found in tomatoes and peppers. A Latin salsa of tropical fruits maximizes the body's ability to absorb iron naturally found in lean beef or seafood. A nut sauce provides vitamin E, a perfect compliment to serve alongside vitamin C rich vegetables.
The lighter "pastry flip" desserts with fruits are setting a trend for lighter selections. These include sauces like raspberry coulis that add vibrant color and fresh flavor to desserts without adding excessive calories or unhealthy fats. A blend of berries with syrup and white wine or apple juice can be a flavorful base for a sorbet; a banana can be blended and used to thicken; and a melon can add subtle flavor. Served with smaller amounts of decadent accents, fruits can play a center role in a dessert that does not sacrifice flavor for health.
Vegetable combinations can yield "no-cream, creamy" sauces and soups. Carrots, root vegetables (such as beets, winter squash, and turnips), and potatoes can be cooked until soft and pureed to create a rich and creamy consistency. A creamy vegetable sauce of a roasted pepper coulis can accompany a pasta, a cold Spanish gazpacho, or a cream of broccoli soup topped with herbs are just a few examples of temping, flavorful menu items featuring pureed vegetables.
Chefs at the 2008 Worlds of Healthy Flavors conference showcased many different concepts that highlighted the use of fruits and vegetables in creating tempting menu items including a Creamy Cauliflower and Spinach soup that uses pureed cauliflower and potato to create a luscious texture and flavor. This is just one example of the endless opportunities to create healthful, flavorful menu items that meet consumers' desire for great-tasting, better-for-you menu items using the best ingredients and the best equipment.
References
KJ Joshipura, FB Hu, et al. The effect of fruit and vegetable intake of risk of coronary heart disease. Annals of Internal Medicine. 134:1106 – 1114. 2001
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2000; 72:922-8. Steinmetz KA, Potter JD. Vegetables, fruit, and cancer prevention. J Am Diet Assoc 1996;96:1027-1039
Eichholzer, M., J. Luthy, F. Gutzwiller, H. Stahelin: The Role of Folate, Antioxidant Vitamins and other Constituents in Fruit and Vegetables in the Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease: The Epidemiological Evidence. Int J. Vitam. Nutr. Res., 71 (1), 2001, 5-17
Willet, WC. "Diet and Health: What Should We Eat?" Science 1994; 532-7.