You might not think so at first but tech and food go together like peanut butter and jelly. Ham and cheese. Pizza and garlic knots. They make a great pair and there’s always something new debuting at a food festival, tech show or right on the street in the back of a food truck. Here’s a handful of exciting things that have been happening in the food industry over the course of the last year. Read on to be sure you don’t miss it.
3D Printing
From chocolatiers in Texas to Ikea’s meatballs, 3D printing is taking over the food industry. In 2015 Chef Mateo Blanch created the first 3D-printed five course meal. While 3D printed foods were normally reserved for pizzas and other quick, conventional foods, Blanch pushed the boundaries by including caviar, hummus and other options as well as a caprese pasta, framed octopus and of course, for the finale, a choice of two deserts. Although Blanch adopted the 3D technology, it may still be awhile until a wider range of gourmet chefs turn to 3D printing.
The social media photo sharing platform has done wonders for local restaurants, chefs and foodies alike. Simply shoot a photo, tag your location and share. Not only does Instagram provide a photo outlet for salivating foodies, the platform provides publicity for the shops, cafes, bars, food trucks, restaurants and chefs involved. Geo-tags allow other users to discover out a new or trending place, which is very good for business.
Pancake Selfies
The art of pancake making inspires us to let out our inner artists. We’ve all made Mickey Mouse ears, or something close to resembling them. Perhaps, more like a blob of batter. But Holiday Inn has taken it to a new level. In 2015 they traveled the country sharing “selfie pancakes” out of their blue food truck. Users just had to take a photo of themselves at the truck and then the pancake was printed out shortly after. Why? Because you can, I guess.
Postmates
The on-demand delivery app, Postmates, is changing the way people order delivery. Available in dozens of cities and states across the country, from Atlanta to Washington D.C. and Orange County to Austin. Users can enter their location via the app and see what’s available to them in their area. And the app connects “Postmates” or local couriers to buyers in just seconds. Postmates isn’t just for food. It can be used to order virtually any product. While it’s been widely adopted by techies and hungry folks, the app is seeing some resistance from the food industry and food service works, as it’s causing a disruption of sorts.
Dry Hopping
Beer has been around for ages. And it just seems to get better and better. Brewmasters across the globe are constantly working to brew something new. The beer makers at Guinness have created a new English-style IPA, that’s smooth, creamy and full of aromas. It’s called the Nitro IPA and it’s made with a unique blend of nitrogen and carbon dioxide. After the hops are fermented the yeast is let out and it’s brewed again; this is called dry hopping. Afterward, more hops are added for a bold, unique spicy taste. Guinness even created special vessels to transport the hops. Cheers!
~ Jiro