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Re s ta u ra n t D a i l y N e ws 4 3 S u n d a y, M a y 1 8 , 2 0 1 4 METALFRIO SOLUTIONS INC: EXPERTISE, TECHNOLOGY, FLEXIBILITY Established in 2006 in Texas, Metalfrio Solutions, Inc. (Metalfrio- USA) is a subsidiary of Metalfrio Solutions SA in Brazil (Metalfrio- Global). Metalfrio-Global operates in the plug-in commercial refrigeration market. Its leadership, production capacity, innovation, commitment and dependability have helped it build a strong partner relationship with cus- tomers for nearly 50 years. The global company combines expertise, technology and flexibility, always anticipating its customers and its customers' needs. Metalfrio's customers include leading international and region- al brands of beverages, ice cream, food and retail businesses all benefiting from the customized solutions that make a dif- ference in displaying the most varied products at the point of sale. Metalfrio comprises several com- mercial refrigeration brands – Metalfrio, Derby, Caravell and Klimasan – to meet its customers' various needs and markets. With the most complete portfolio of com- mercial refrigeration products, Metalfrio is currently one of the largest refrigera- tion companies in the world and contin- ues to grow as a result of a strong expan- sion program. Metalfrio also offers merchandis- ing tools for the point of sale, as well as the best business strategy for its cus- tomers through the customization of complete solutions from product con- cept development to production, distri- bution and post-sale services. By pro- viding these solutions, the company has built a solid commitment to its cus- tomers by following their growth and meeting their needs worldwide. With a production capacity of 1.5 million units per year, the company operates on nearly every continent, with four strategically located produc- tion facilities in Brazil, Mexico, Turkey and Russia. These locations produce state-of-the-art technology equipment with global distribution reaching more than 80 countries. Metalfrio-USA is a distribution center that focuses on the sales, marketing and distribution of Metalfrio products in the North American market. For more information, visit www .metalfrio.com. UP-AND-COMING GLOBAL CUISINES LOOKING TO CAPTURE AMERICAN PALATES By Lucas Witman Until the 1930s, few Americans had ever tasted a taco or burrito, but since then, Mexican cuisine has become a ubiquitous staple in this country. Likewise, before the 1980s, most American diners would have found it appalling to sit down to a plate of raw fish and rice, but today it seems that there is a sushi bar on every urban street corner. And living in a country with 43,000 Chinese restaurants, it can be easy to forget that there was once a time when the cuisine of China was about as foreign to American eaters as the cuisine of Mars. Throughout American history, palates (and, subsequently, the foods American cooks place on their dinner tables) have constantly evolved. There are a variety of reasons for this, including the effects of immigration, American travel abroad, the careful marketing of global cuisines in this country and the simple transformation of tastes. It is understood that the dishes most popular with one generation are almost certain to be different from those most beloved by the next. With American palates shifting so rapidly, and with the potential rewards for staying on top of the trends so great, many are motivated to shape and predict what will be the next big thing in global cuisine. Polish cuisine attracting adventurous gourmands According to the American Community Survey, there are currently almost 10 mil- lion Polish Americans living in the United States, making up 3.3% of the total popu- lation. In Wisconsin and Michigan, over 9 percent of the population is of Polish descent. As the Polish population in this country is burgeoning, so is the importa- tion of goods from Poland. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, between 2010 and 2013, the value of goods imported into this country from Poland increased 65.5 percent. International travel to Poland is also up (over 12 percent since 2009), and Americans make up the second largest group of visitors to the country after the French. The cuisine of Poland has become one of the draws bringing American tourists to the country. In part due to the success of high end gourmet Polish eater- ies, such as Warsaw's Atelier Amaro, the first restaurant in Poland to receive the Michelin rising star award, hungry food tourists are flocking to Eastern Europe to taste indigenous Polish ingredients pre- pared with 21st century techniques. According to Tomasz Piszczek, founder of Polish specialty food company Polska Foods, Inc., the increasing popu- larity of Poland as a destination for food tourists and of Polish food more generally in this country is the result of Polish chefs going back to the country's pre-commu- nist roots and re-inventing the national cuisine with an eye toward freshness and flavor. "During the communists, the Polish kitchen used a lot of salt, fat and black pepper to increase the flavor. You didn't have too many spices. It was diffi- cult to get access to traditional ingredients such as cloves, anise, figs, cinnamon, saf- fron, walnuts, almonds, and nutmeg," said Piszczek. Piszczek explained that contempo- rary chefs specializing in Polish cuisine approach the country's food traditions in a different way. "The new generation in Poland right now is bringing back their culinary heritage of the past centuries— food with exquisite flavor that was influ- enced by Italian Queen Bona in the 16th century in Poland, who brought culinary lavishness to the Polish court," he said. "As the new generation returns to old tra- ditions, and as more people travel to Poland, many are rediscovering Polish cuisine that artfully blends many European flavors into one celebrated dish, setting the record straight for future gener- ations." According to Piszczek, this mod- ern Polish cuisine features a wide variety of spices, vegetables, seeds and nuts, and this is the Polish cuisine he sees growing in popularity among U.S. eaters. Malaysian tastemakers looking to capitalize on American love of fusion The American love affair with fusion cui- sine goes back at least to the 1970s, when increased U.S. trade with Asian countries led to an explosion of American eateries specializing in Japanese or Chinese deli- cacies, but with a distinctly Western twist. Asian fusion continues to be popu- lar throughout the United States, along with a plethora of other fusion cuisines from Tex-Mex to Louisiana Creole to California cuisine. As Americans contin- ue to go crazy for fusion, another exotic fusion cuisine could be on deck to cap- ture consumer interest in this country: Malaysian cuisine. For Americans who are often so enamored with the combination of dis- parate global flavors, ingredients and tech- niques, the fusion cuisine of Malaysia seems tailor-made for the country's food- obsessed populace. Malaysian cuisine rep- resents the unique coalescence of Indian, Chinese, Thai, Portuguese, Middle Eastern and native Malay flavors. "Why do Americans need Malaysian cuisine?" asked Christina Arokiasamy, chef, author and Malaysia's Food Ambassador to the United States. "America has given Thailand a chance. America has given Japan a chance. America has given India a chance, China a chance, Vietnam a chance. America is a country that is multicultural. America is close to traditions. And Americans are also very innovative. We Malaysians are also very close to our culture, just like Americans. We are very traditional, yet we are so innovative that we can make this kind of food for the American kitchen." The most popular Malaysian dishes represent the melting pot that is the com- pany's eclectic food culture. Hokkien Mee, for example, is a Chinese style noo- dle dish cooked with crispy cubes of deep fried pork lard. Nasi Kandar is a popular rice dish, seasoned with Thai-inspired curry sauces. Malaysia also offers its own unique take on satay, a dish popular throughout Southern Asia, from India to Indonesia. With bottled Malaysian sauces, pack- aged spice pastes and pre-packaged heat- and-serve meals available in many gro- cery stores, cooks who never before attempted a Malaysian passport meal at home are now beginning to experiment with the exotic flavors of this Southeast Asian kingdom. Meanwhile, those less likely to whip up their own Malaysian feast are experimenting with the flavors of the country at popular restaurants, such as San Francisco's Banana Leaf, New York's Nyonya and Las Vegas' Satay. Home cooks experimenting with flavors of India Although Indian food is relatively well established in this country and thus does not necessarily fall into the category of up- and-coming global cuisines in the way Malaysian or Polish food might, the fare of the Indian subcontinent is growing as a mainstream cuisine of choice in this coun- try. According to market research compa- ny Mintel, retail and foodservice sales of Indian food have jumped 35 percent in recent years. As a result, more and more home cooks today are experimenting with Indian flavors and ingredients in their own kitchens. Today many Americans who never before touched a plate of chicken tikka masala, palak paneer or vegetable jalfrezi are carefully dipping their toes into the pool for the first time. This is in part due to the work of gourmet food companies that are attempting to make Indian dishes and flavors more accessible to the average American. Whereas one once had to visit a specialty grocery to pick up the staples necessary for preparing an Indian meal, today the average supermarket offers a selection of Indian ingredients and heat- and-serve dishes. "It's getting a little bit easier [to appeal to Americans], because people have become more adventurous in what they want to eat. They want new spice profiles. They want higher spice pro- files. And Indian food provides that," said Mike Ryan, Vice President of Marketing for Deep Foods, a manufac- turer of Indian foods. BEER CAN CHICKEN ROASTING STAND FROM GOURMET DU VILLAGE Gourmet du Village recently introduced their new Ceramic Beer Can Chicken Roasting Stand. Oven-proof, barbecue- proof and simple to use, just place on a roasting pan or aluminum barbecue tray, stand your chicken on top, surround with vegetables, bake and enjoy. Home cooks no longer have to use a real beer can to make authentic beer can roasted chicken. Gourmet du Village's Beer Can Chicken Roasting Stand makes the most tender juicy roasted chicken you have ever tast- ed. Making beer can chicken is even eas- ier with Gourmet du Village's new south- western seasoning blend, a spicy, flavor- ful new seasoning variety ready for the coming outdoor dining season. Available in the company's recipe box packaging, the southwestern beer can chicken sea- soning is enough for one chicken, or the company also offers new cardboard can- isters with enough seasonings for four chickens – great taste at a great value. For more information, contact Gourmet du Village visit www.gourmetduvillage.com.