International Coffee Day | How do you make the perfect Espresso Martini?
1-10-2019
Coffee is one of the most popular drinks in the world, and an essential ingredient of a coffee cocktail. The famous ‘Espresso Martini’ coffee cocktail has been in the top 10 of best-selling cocktails worldwide for years! The Espresso Martini is a true classic and has become an integral part of the cocktail menu. This cocktail is guaranteed to give you a cool down and energy kick at the same time. From now on you can also get started with coffee cocktails at home with the Tia Maria Espresso Martini kit. On the occasion of International Coffee Day they give away three delicious varieties (including a spicy variety!) on the iconic Espresso Martini, to prepare at home.
It seems to be ‘International Coffee Day’ today, October 1 2019! The popularity of coffee is celebrated worldwide on this day. We are gradually seeing that these types of ‘commercial days’ are also being used in the Netherlands. For example today they also celebrate the ‘International Day for Older Persons’ in the UK and the ‘World Vegetarian Day’ is celebrated internationally. You can find entire lists of what is celebrated every day! Today this article from Tia Maria around one of my favorite cocktails, the Espresso Martini! ^Marjolein
Trends we spotted | Week 39
27-9-2019
At hospitalitytrends.eu we spot many national and international trends on a daily basis. We pick the most interesting ones to write about, the smaller trends we use in our weekly column ‘Trends we spotted this week’.
This week, among others links to articles about inspiration around ice cream by Spanish parlour Rocambolesc and McDonalds Canada is testing the P.L.T. Burger they created with Beyond Meat.
Pulpac is a patented innovation that can replace single-use plastic at a lower price on a global scale and in a press release TripAdvisor says it blocked more than a million fake reviews in 2018.
Food lifestyle brand Bon Appétit opens a virtual restaurant in Chicago, Bon Appétit Delivered and would you like to try a burrata stuffed with pizza sauce? They serve it with pizza crust at restaurant The Bedford.
Helsinki just became the world’s first ‘City as a Service’ to attract more tech talent for the companies in this city and more about ‘The Fyre Burger’ created by ‘Lock & Key Social Drinkery Kitchen’ in Los Angeles!
Boutique antique Hotel Beijers | A new, unique hotel in Utrecht
24-9-2019
In the violence of the openings of new hotels of large chains that have found their way to Utrecht (The Netherlands), the opening of Hotel Beijers can be called special. The combination of boutique with antique makes Hotel Beijers unique for Utrecht and perhaps even for the Netherlands. At Hotel Beijers you really step into another world and it appears as if time has stood still. Yet the hotel is anything but old-fashioned, because in the design they worked with bold color combinations, special antiques and the hotel is equipped with all the luxury and modern conveniences of today.
The hotel has 15 rooms and no room is the same. A cool concept for guests who love architecture, antiques and history, but of course with a modern twist! Utrecht City Concepts will run the hotel. They are known for its collection of small-scale boutique hotels in the center of Utrecht. You can recognize them from Mother Goose, Eye Hotel, Court Hotel, Hotel26 and the Malie Hotel.
Quirky ‘storytelling’ video for BUNK hotels | ‘Another hotel’
17-9-2019
If you have missed the news: BUNK Hotels has recently opened the doors of its first location in the heart of Utrecht in an old church. BUNK Amsterdam will open soon, also in a former house of God.
We wrote earlier about this special hotel in the Westerkerk in Utrecht, and with the announcement of BUNK Amsterdam they have created a special promotional video for the concept. A big nod to Wes Anderson’s Grand Budapest Hotel, that’s what you could call this artistic piece of cinematography from BUNK. And also an ode to the bird of paradise that lurks in everyone, as ultimately we all have our own original story. BUNK brings these stories together.
Trends we spotted | Week 36
6-9-2019
At hospitalitytrends.eu we spot many national and international trends on a daily basis. We pick the most interesting ones to write about, the smaller trends we use in our weekly column ‘Trends we spotted this week’.
This week, among other links to articles about a ‘walking chocolate trolley’ at restaurant ‘El Celler de Can Roca’ with a Dutch element to it and a ‘High Tea with a twist’ at the Lobby Bar and The Restaurant of the Williamsburg hotel in Brooklyn, New York.
In 2020 Starbucks will deliver throughout the U.S. via Uber Eats and this fall a Dutch book called ‘Water, coffee beans & milk’ will be published in English as well.
Did you ever attend a Tank Party at a brewery? We never even heard of it, but the Camden Town Brewery Tank Party is held September 7 for the seventh year in a row!
Open house by JO&JOE moves in with IKEA at Vienna West Station
5-9-2019
JO&JOE moves in with IKEA at Vienna West Station, two innovative concept unite in one project. On the two upper floors of the planned city IKEA, near the Westbahnhof train station in Vienna, a JO&JOE open house arises. The JO&JOE brand (part of the Accor Group) combines hostel and traditional hotel elements with an attractive array of restaurants and services.
Trends we spotted | Week 35
30-8-2019
At hospitalitytrends.eu we spot many national and international trends on a daily basis. We pick the most interesting ones to write about, the smaller trends we use in our weekly column ‘Trends we spotted this week’.
This week, among other links to 2 articles with inspiration for bakeries, such as ‘Pie Night’ from Dominique Ansel Kitchen in New York and small, bread cubes from ‘MilkCow in Boots’ from Korea.
But also inspiration for pizzerias, like a pizza & prosciutto tower from the Luigia Group and in the USA Beyond Fried Chicken ™ passed the test, within 5 hours all vegetarian pieces of chicken were sold during a test!
The Belgium/Dutch restaurant ‘Frites Atelier’ sells the tastiest fries in Europe according to Big Seven Travel. And inspiration for hotels: have you already received a request from an influencer to livestream a ‘mukbang’ at your place? The W hotel in Washington D.C. has created the ‘Sip & Slurp’ arrangement!
Beer meets gastronomy | Brut Beer ‘Vuurzee’ from brewery ‘De Goede & De Stoute’
26-8-2019
The new Dutch brewery ‘De Goede & De Stoute’ (The Good & the Naughty) was awarded at the World Beer Awards and the International Beer Challenge at the beginning of August with their first gastronomic Brut Beer ‘Vuurzee’. ‘Vuurzee’ has been voted the country winner for best taste in the category ‘Specialty Beer: Brut Beer’ at the World Beer Awards 2019. ‘Vuurzee’ is an elegant blond beer (tripel) prepared with the Pinot Noir grape and champagne yeast.
At the International Beer Challenge 2019, ‘Vuurzee’ won gold for the best design & packaging of the bottle in the category ‘Newcomers: Individual Product’. Both beer competitions are among the most professional beer competitions in the world. De Goede & De Stoute brewery can make extra investments to expand the production process and thus meet the increasing demand through a crowdfunding campaign (funded for more than 100%).
Cleanyst | A ‘sodastream’ for cleaning and personal care products
22-8-2019
Cleanyst recently launched an at home mixing system for creating natural home and body care products with minimal plastic waste. In May 2019 their product, developed by industry professionals, was backed for more than 200% for their crowdfunding at Kickstarter. The ‘reusable bottle system makes plant-based cleaning and personal care products with concentrated ingredients shipped in minimal packaging.
Great product for households but we could imagine that it might be a great asset for B&B’s and small luxury hotels as well! You could create your own shampoo, conditioner, body wash, hand soap, laundry detergent, fabric softener, all-purpose cleaner, glass cleaner and tub and tile cleaner.
Inspiration from 2018 | A list of alternatives to replace your plastic straws
12-8-2019
The use of plastic straws has already been abolished in several American cities. Last year, the European Commission also proposed to ban the use of plastic disposable items per 2021. Several parties have now taken the initiative to ban plastic straws permanently. They came up with sustainable alternatives. In this article from 2018 we came up with some alternatives!