Thursday, November 17, 2011

Next Years Cupcake Is........

Hark the Herald, angels sing.........

I gotta tell ya, running a bread empire has gotten easier since social media has evolved.

During the first 20 years of my career, when a baker had 4-6 minutes down time, they'd all run outside to pound down a heater.

Now that nobody smokes anymore, or at least none of our 16 bakers, that brief stretch is spent with my boys checking their I-Phones and Droids.

Earliar today I had to cross town on a sales call. I had to leave during rush hour, and remembering how Batman use to exclaim.....

"Its better to be 10 minutes early instead of 1 second late."

I planned ahead, and arrived at my destination ahead of schedule.

For 15 minutes I read texts, e-mails and Facebook messages.

Todays "Gold Star" of entertainment goes out to Kim Ode. Give me a second here, and I will repost her question.........

"Hey K, you can't believe how many baking concepts I've gotten pitched this week as being the Next Big Thing. So many sweets! I'm still thinking there's a lot of mileage to be drawn from savory, though. So let me toss this out to you: Could a savory cookie be next year's cupcake?"

First off Kim......great-great question. I will be curious to know if you just supposed this or drew it from a covert source.

But before I address that, I'll start off by saying that "Bacon" is not going to be an Ingredient Messiah again this year.

No ingredient can blaze that bright for a 3rd (or 4th? year in a row.

Savory Cookies huh?

In the world of baking, very seldom does any baker create all their own recipes. More often than not, they "Quote Product".

That means that the bakers and R&D departments travel the globe, go to conventions and surf the web to find new ideas........

H-E-N-N-E-S-S-Y and I already have a file tucked away with some flavor combo's for savory cookies, but we can't launch them until after the holidays.

Savory won't comepete with classics during Christmas. This is the one and only time of the year that the masses don't like to experiment.

So I think you'll see your prediction surface just after New Years 2012, but remember........

Savory cookies won't be a morning cookie, or a dessert cookie.

I see them being consumed in office cubicles at 2 or 3 p.m.

H-E-N-N-E-S-S-Y says that people will pair these creations with wine, lot's and lot's of wine!

So, listed below are just a few of the savory themes that will be represented independantly, or sold in mixed tins.

I know you're and award winning "Snoop", but none the less......

I am seriously impressed.

P.S. When I say Savory Cookies....I mean cookies. Crackers and biscotties...all that stuff won't count, all these concepts will/should be delivered in their traditional shapes.

Savory Cookie Concepts of 2012

Pesto
Red Onion / Parmesan
Pink Grapefruit / Poppy
Molasses / Brie
Molasses Cayenne (Zombie Cookies)
Seaweed / Molasses / Miso Paste
Ginger / Black Sesame
Bacon / Kraut / Rye
Bacon / Blue Cheese
Blue Cheese / Pecan
Pine Nut / Rosemary / Shortbread
Chocolate / Caramel / Coarse Salt
Caramelized Pear and Ginger
Pepper Cumin
Ham & Gryyere Thumbprints
Pepperjack Thumbprints

And even Ice Box cookies will go savory. You'll see everything from Rosemary & Cheese to Lemon Grass / Kalamatta

So Kimmy......if you have any additions, shout at me.

L.A.B. Rats....same goes for you...Holla.

10 comments:

  1. Orange cookie dough with chocolate chips.

    I'm not sure that "cake pops" are done yet, either. Rather labor intensive, though, for the fancy ones.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Figured you and Kris already would already be running with this. Can’t wait for an upcoming Saint Agnes retail.
    But between you and me, I’d step away from the molasses/Brie. Yikes. I mean, I just can’t get my head around that one – although the idea of cheese and spice is cool. What about a thin filling of smoked cheese between gingersnaps? (I love smoked cheeses.)
    I also love madeleines and this post reminded me of a cornmeal madeleine that I tried last summer. I may have put some herbs in there, as well. It needed some tweaking, but now I’m re-inspired. And I totally agree about cookie shapes – that will help keep these from being mistaken for crackers – as well as some sugar content, something to make the brain still think “cookie,” even if it’s some coarse sugar as embellishment. Or are you relying on “cookie shape” to lead the brain, no matter the flavor?
    A buttery herbal spritz? A tassie with a poppyseed crust, filled with a citrus cheesecake? (That grapefruit poppyseed combo has me thinking.)
    And by the way, only my Grandma gets to call me Kimmy.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Htom, I'm not thinking Cake Pops were "All the Rage". I think they were more of a "Blip" for a very-very select demographic.

    Kimbo.....LOL, Yeah, I should have figured you'd find a way to "Go Madeleine".

    I think you could be correct with Brie, but "soccer Mom's" with budgets (who are the biggest demographic that artisan bakers target) often times have limited knowledge of cheese.

    Cheese skews more tore a masculine palate. I'm not-not-not trying to be sexist here. I'm just reporting what I have learned by following trend-stats.

    However....it is just a Klecko observation that women love to implement Brie....in fact, I once did a gig at the Governors mansions, and his wife and her girlios.....

    "Brie-Brie-Brie"

    But I trust ya.

    Sharp cheese........Ding-Ding, yeah, winner-winner chicken dinner. Great call on that.

    I do think shape could/should carry the "cookie concept" but I like your pearl or sanding sugar vibe.

    Bravo.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Smoked Cheddar and Rosemary. By the way, your zombie cookie recipe has been a tremendous hit. I have shared that recipe more than any other this year and directed a lot of people to your blog for "incredible recipes." Last Sunday, I baked over two hundred of those bad boys. Smoked chipotle was a great addition to the flavors too. :)

    ReplyDelete
  5. Dang, you have my head spinning with ideas now. Savory cookies....I like it!
    Right now I need to focus on Thanksgiving (about 30 people).
    I do a friends are family Thanksgiving dinner on Friday.
    Then it is the journey through Christmas. About 32 kinds of "sweet" cookies and a couple dozen candies and breads, and cakes, and and and
    I love this time of year, my ovens go into over drive. Flour flying, music blaring, hot toddies flowing....heaven!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Only my husband gets to call me Kimbo.

    ReplyDelete
  7. G bour - I am thrilled you love the Zombies, it's in my "Greatest Hits" and thanks for spreading the L.A.B. gospel to your friends.

    Pookoz - I feel ya kid.....there is no time on the bakers calender like Christmas....it's so "World Series". Have you ever seen my egg nog poppy quick bread recipe?

    Praise Polish Christ is it wonderful.

    Kim - Good night Kimby

    ReplyDelete
  8. Rosemary Pine Nut or Blue Cheese Pecan. I'm always for some crunch in a cookie. Sauerkraut in a cookie - yuck! You Americans seem to consume that straight out of the jar or can - instead of simmering it with apples and white wine, before consuming it.

    ReplyDelete
  9. This Belgian girl loves her brie. Just sayin'... ;)

    LOVE the savory cookie idea...we call them sables here. thanks for the inspiration!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Thanks Foxie Moxie....I understand you'll be back in America in 1/2 a year, maybe you can sample some during next summers farmers markets??????

    ReplyDelete