Artisanal Food Carts and Trucks

Image via New York Magazine.

So long lunch truck, mobile food vending is on the rise! First it was the cupcake and gourmet coffee trucks, and I read in New York Magazine last week that the Artisanal Grilled-Cheese Truck is making its debut at the Brooklyn Flea later this year. Also in NYC, the Fojol Bros. of Merlindia serve up buttered chicken (and have coined themselves a traveling culinary carnival). In Seattle, Skillet serves up Thai cured confit of duck. In San Francisco, the food cart meetups feature gourmand delights such as crème brûlée, curries, and Amuse Bouche whose menu includes apple strudel and pear tarts alongside mini chai teas for a dollar. And, with the help of social media, many of these foodie enterprises work to transform the landscape of business interaction by tweeting customers their changing locations.

Artisan Punch

Image via Pop Sop.

I discovered this at Whole Foods and have been drinking it every night with dinner. I adore artisan food and I'm always thinking of unique beverages to craft and put into the punch bowl. I dined at The Modern this past weekend and they offer a lychee juice & soda blend that seemed yummy. Twelve is the alternative to wine, Pelligrino, or sparkling apple cider--its a blend of organic green, white, and black teas; herbs like cardamon, fennel, and juniper berry all mixed with pineapple, peach, and grape juices. Its soooo good. And its packaged so beautifully in a frosted glass bottle with the tag line:

TWELVE: noon to midnight.

Love it!