Foodie trends

Haute Dogs : For a long time now encased meats have been the great equalizer - a democratic way to enjoy summer festivities - but now the hot dog is taking the place of hamburger as the Americana foodie obsession du jour. Hot Doug's in Chicago has been ahead of the foodie flock on this trend (which makes sense given Chicago's long-standing romance with overflowing franks) and has developed a cult following, to the point of devoted customers willingly waiting in line outside in the rain for their gourmet dogs. On any given day, exotic options range from Foie Gras and Sauternes Duck Sausage to Rattlesnake Meat Hot Dog. Now, restaurants in cities across the country are following suit, serving up their own unique variations of the American classic. Cafe Rouge in Berkeley, CA hand makes their hot dogs in-house with Berkshire pork, and Miami-based Franktitude decks out their dogs with unusual toppings like guacamole, wasabi, and sunflower seeds.

Designer Ice: Ice is one of those things that you may never give a second thought, except perhaps when you run out in the middle of a party. But soon, you may be following the lead of trendsetting mixologists who are getting down to the details when it comes to ice. According to aficionados, the way ice is shaped affects the taste, temperature and texture of cocktails. BarChef in Toronto takes an 18^th century approach, hand-chipping jagged shards from a huge slab on the countertop, while The Violet Hour in Chicago also chips ice from a block, changing the shape depending on the drink. For, say, a Scotch on the rocks, the barback will chisel a ball-shaped ice formation - the round shape melts more slowly than cubed ice, meaning it won't dilute your expensive Scotch.

DIY Foodie Catering: Young people, often somehow connected to the music or craft scenes, are increasingly stepping into the kitchen and creating exploratory foods for noise concerts, art shows, friends' parties, and in some cases, are even being hired for events. In LA, two members of the psych-rock band Pocahaunted moonlight as Crops and Rawbers, an all raw, experimental catering company that primarily supplies warehouse parties with vegan delights. We expect to see more DIY catering side projects popping up in the art and music scenes, as trendsetters increasingly obsesses over what kinds of food they are putting in their bodies, even in the midst of partying the night away.

-From trendcentral