TREND BITES:
Elote
Keep the summertime hype going on your menu by bringing in fun street food! According to the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT), “Street food has gained incredible popularity over the past five to seven years, and there’s no sign it’s slowing down.” Elote, in particular, is showing a big boost in popularity this year. The National Restaurant Association listed it as one of the top three appetizers/sides in their “2023 What’s Hot Culinary Trend Forecast.” So, it’s definitely time to start serving elote!
What is Elote?
Elote, or Mexican Street Corn, is a flashy, adventurous version of corn on the cob. It takes corn on the cob to the extreme by grilling corn to slightly charred perfection and adding an amazing balance of flavors. Corn is charred on the grill, slathered with creamy mayo, and topped with crumbly cotija cheese, chili powder, garlic, lime juice, and cilantro. The overall elote-eating experience is fun and messy with an exciting combination of textures and flavors. Every bite is sweet, spicy, savory, and sensory, with satisfying “pops” of biting into corn kernels.
From Street Food to Restaurants
Traditional elote can be purchased from street vendors in Mexico, where it’s served on wooden sticks as appetizers, snacks between meals, or a late-night bite. As elote gains mainstream popularity, it’s appearing as a side dish in restaurants, an ingredient in entrees, and even a flavor of snack foods.
Google Trends and Glimpse show that street corn searches have increased by 19% this year, and “Street Corn” is talked about more on TikTok than any other social media platform, which could indicate Gen Z’s interest in the dish. TikTok is full of videos of people visiting elote food carts and reacting to the exciting flavors and textures.
Google Trends and Glimpse show that street corn searches have increased by 19% this year, and “Street Corn” is talked about more on TikTok than any other social media platform, which could indicate Gen Z’s interest in the dish. TikTok is full of videos of people visiting elote food carts and reacting to the exciting flavors and textures.
Try these elote applications!
We combined two of our favorite tasty trends: "chicken and waffles" and "elote!" Everyone already loves pairing savory, crispy fried chicken with sweet, fluffy waffles. But adding tangy elote toppings to the mix? Amazing.
These Elote Chicken Tostadas are easy to make and sure to be a hit on any menu! All you need is tostada shells, sliced chicken, avocado salsa, and elote toppings to make a delicious, on-trend entree that all your guests will want to try.
If you're looking for a simple way to feature elote on your menu, it doesn't get much easier than this! Skewer fried chicken tenders and then add corn and elote toppings to make this mouthwatering elote meal!
Elote, an Ingredient
Want to serve elote without the mess? That's what esquites is for. Esquites is elote ingredients served in a bowl rather than on the cob. Feature elote/esquites as an ingredient in common dishes like quesadillas, tostadas, salads, pizzas and more. We made tostadas and skewers that combine diced chicken or chicken tenders with the mouthwatering tastes and textures of elote.
Elote, a Flavor
Now that elote is a craveable, popular flavor, you can buy elote seasoning mixes and elote-flavored prepackaged snacks like chips, nuts, and even candy. We expect people to get more and more familiar with the word “elote” and the flavors it represents, so it would be a great idea to call out this flavor on your menu and in advertisements for LTOs and other new menu items.
Other Street Food-Inspired Recipes from our Library
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