The #1 Healthiest Menu Item at 30 Popular Restaurant Chains

sourdough pancakes :: Article Creator

Hot Finds From SIAL Paris: From Purple Sourdough To Immunity Bars And Beyond

Get lucky with every crunch

Founded by Lithuanian bakery Gudobelė, Bon Chance bread crisps have become a staple in the snack market since their debut in 2011. Known for their commitment to natural ingredients and classic flavours, these crisps bring a taste of tradition to the modern consumer.

Each flavour – from Garlic and Cheese & Onion to Mushroom and Barbecue – is crafted from rye-wheat bread, baked and lightly seasoned. With recipes inspired by heritage baking techniques, these snacks aim to deliver authentic, nostalgic tastes while meeting contemporary snacking demands.

Bon Chance crisps are tailored for both on-the-go snacking and home entertaining, but also make a great crouton-style addition to soups or salads and pair well with beer and wine. Available in various sizes, including 60g and 120g options, these crisps have a growing fan base among those seeking wholesome, flavourful snacks.

Ramp up your veggie intake

The golden starlet of this year's SIAL Innovation Awards is a range of versatile dry mixes that offers producers a unique approach to creating plant-based products.

Known for its focus on nutritious convenience, Sabarot's new range is crafted to help bakers, foodservice and meal-prep companies easily introduce veggie-rich options to their menus. Each dry mix combines high-protein legumes and grains with carefully selected herbs and spices to create flavour-packed veggie cakes or plant-based patties.

The mix options include split peas with basil; a trio of Indian lentils; and quinoa and bulgur with Mediterranean-inspired sun vegetables. Designed for flexibility, each pack makes 4-5 patties, ready in just eight minutes. Sabarot's products are gluten-free and feature a balanced nutritional profile, including plant-based protein and fibre to support digestive health and keep diners satiated.

Introducing Lebanese flavours to the global market

Winning the 2024 Grocery Products Award, Grapeful's The Original Hummus Bar stands out as a versatile, plant-based snack from Lebanon that caters to today's health-conscious consumers.

Launched in October 2023, the high-protein, all-natural bar boasts simple ingredients without added sugars, aligning with current demands for transparency and nutritious snacking. It combines chickpeas, tahini and a touch of grape molasses – a traditional Lebanese ingredient that enhances the bar's sweetness naturally – to create a nourishing snack packed with plant-based protein and fibre for on-the-go consumers.

Grapeful has succeeded in balancing tradition with innovation, making Lebanese food traditions more accessible worldwide. The brand also aims to reduce food waste by sourcing local grape molasses.

Surprise your friends with long potato chips

Balsnack International brings a refreshing twist to the snack isle with Long Potato Chips.

Crafted in Estonia – where Balsnack has been a family-run operation since 1992 – the unique shaped chips are today exported to more than 50 countries, with international sales now comprising half its revenue: testament of the global appeal of these snacks.

Long Chips are made from potato flakes and extruded into elongated, wafer-thin sheets, then flash-fried for just 10 seconds in rapeseed oil. This unique process results in an exceptionally crisp, clean and hygienic snack that feels more like a cracker but delivers the satisfying crunch of a traditional potato chip. Available in a variety of flavours to cater to a range of taste preferences, including Sour Cream & Herbs, Smokey BBQ, Cheese & Onion, Vinegar, Spicy Wasabi and Chili & Lime.

Long Chips contain no palm oil or GMOs and boast a balanced nutritional profile with 560 kcal per 100g, making it on point for indulgent but conscientious snacking.

Boost wellness with Care Bars

The nutrition bars are crafted with scientifically backed ingredients to support two of today's most pressing wellness needs: immunity and mental performance.

Care Bar IMMUNITY provides a targeted boost for gut health and immune support. It contains a unique blend of postbiotic IMMUSE, probiotics, zinc, selenium and vitamin D3, which work together to support immune response and a balanced microbiome. It's perfect for those looking to fortify their immunity, especially during peak cold and flu seasons. Its mix of pre-and postbiotics also makes it a gentle choice to promote gut health: a daily wellness boost in a convenient snack format.

Care Bar COGNITIVE includes Cognizin Citicoline, L-theanine, L-tyrosine and MCT oil, all known for their brain-boosting properties. The unique formula supports memory, focus and mental clarity, making it an excellent option for students or anyone needing a mid-day mental lift.

Both Care Bars serve as multifunctional snacks that marry taste with purpose, bringing advanced nutrition into the modern snacking experience.

Taking the burger to the next level

The Roberto Triple Burger Sandwich offers a unique, three-layer bun designed to elevate even the heartiest burgers.

Made from wheat flour, rapeseed oil and acerola extract the 240g bun provides a stable base for complex sandwiches featuring multiple ingredients. Pre-cut and topped with sesame seeds, they're perfectly suited for both the consumer and foodservice markets – allowing chefs and consumers to stack sauces, meats, and vegetables without the risk of collapse. The buns are also free from palm oil and artificial flavours.

Instant enjoyment

Viči melds tradition with convenience with its range of sweet and savoury ready-to-eat pancakes.

Known for their 'tasty instantly' approach, Viči's crepes are crafted to bring families together over classic, unsweetened pancakes as well as varieties filled with crowd-pleasing options like chocolate, strawberry and cottage cheese. For those craving something more unique, the passionfruit and mango-filled crepes are gaining popularity in Lithuania, Estonia and Germany. Viči's savoury crepes, including options filled with meat, add versatility to the lineup.

The crepes contain no palm oil, GMOs, flavour enhancers, or artificial colours. The brand's chocolate-filled crepes, for instance, use cocoa certified by the Rainforest Alliance, supporting sustainable cocoa farming and environmental health.

With 27 million pancakes produced this year alone, Viči proves that its focus on quality, convenience and environmental care resonates with customers globally.

Natural crunch in every bite

Belgian innovation Fruit Layer BV has introduced a line of potato and pineapple chips that embodies simplicity and innovation.

Made without additives and leveraging a refined dehydration process, Fruit Layer's chips maintain their vibrant colour and nutrient density, providing a crisp, concentrated flavour experience. The dehydrated fruit and veggies chips are presented in a convenient, tube-stacked format, making them great for on-the-go.

The company's focus on advanced manufacturing technology and sustainable practices aligns with trends toward eco-conscious, sophisticated snacking. Selected by SIAL for its unique production techniques, these chips cater to the rising demand for snacks that balance health and taste with environmental responsibility.

Reinterpreting bread

Morato Pane's Spuntinelle line reimagines classic crustless bread with a creative twist, offering vibrant flavours and colours like purple potato, whole wheat with black rice and carrot.

The Spuntinelle con Patata Viola is a sourdough that stands out with its deep purple colour – derived from rehydrated purple potato flakes – creating a visually striking bread that is soft, mildly sweet and ideal for sandwiches, canapés or toasting.

The Spuntinelle range also includes options like classic white bread, made with 100% natural ingredients and olive oil for a soft, versatile slice; and Multigrain Spuntinelle, enriched with a blend of seven grains, including spelt and barley, for added texture and nutritional value.

Every slice is prepared without artificial additives and reflects Italian baking tradition, from the simplicity of Durum Wheat Spuntinelle to the boldness of Carrot Spuntinelle. Available in standard and mini sizes, as well as a professional version for rolled sandwiches, the lineup offers something for every kitchen.

This Vintage-Inspired KitchenAid Bowl Gives Your Stand Mixer A Retro Makeover

This article may contain affiliate links that Yahoo and/or the publisher may receive a commission from if you buy a product or service through those links.

'Tis the season to bake, and while it might be a random 70-degree day here in Boston, I'm still very much craving homemade sourdough, pancakes, or even a batch of cookies. That's right — not even warm, sunny weather can distract me from what this season is all about: comfort food. And if you've been whipping up some creations in the kitchen, why not level up your baking arsenal?

This means gathering all the tools necessary for the ultimate bake, whether a spatula, stand mixer, or even some fun mixing bowls that can double as serving dishes. And if there's one thing that's caught my attention lately, it's vintage-style decor that brings all the cozy, nostalgic vibes — just like being at your grandparents' house. Enter the KitchenAid 5-Qt Vintage Floral Stand Mixer Bowl, which gives me the warm, comforting feels.

KitchenAid 5-Quart Vintage Floral Ceramic Stand Mixer Bowl

QVC.Com

$74.98 (was $99)

Buy Now

What Is the KitchenAid 5-Qt Vintage Floral Stand Mixer Bowl?

There's nothing quite like a warm and welcoming kitchen, and KitchenAid's 5-Qt Vintage Floral Stand Mixer Bowl adds a bit of nostalgia with its unique style. The ceramic bowl features a cute micro-floral design with a light blue interior and fits both 4.5-quart and 5-quart tilt-head stand mixers. Made from high-quality ceramic, it's perfect for moving from the kitchen to the dining table and doubles as a charming serving bowl. Honestly, its pretty pattern might just make it a permanent fixture on your stand mixer!

Use this bowl to whip up your best batch of cookies or serve your favorite salad — it's great for mixing, serving, and showing off delicious creations. Plus, its generous size means you'll have plenty of room for all your ingredients, whether you're baking up a storm or prepping for a dinner party. With this kitchen staple, every meal feels a little more special, and every bake brings back warm memories. It's the kind of piece that not only looks good but makes cooking and entertaining feel good, too.

Right now, you can snag this KitchenAid mixer bowl for 24% off, plus an extra $20 off if you're a first-time QVC customer with the code WELCOME20. This scratch-resistant bowl is sure to stay in your kitchen arsenal for as long as you want. And who knows, you might even pass it down to your kids someday!

Buy: KitchenAid 5-Qt Vintage Floral Stand Mixer Bowl, $74.98 (originally $99)

Cook/Shop

A weekly newsletter to keep you up to date on all the latest cooking gadgets, must-have kitchen tools, and can't-miss sales to shop.

Subscribe to The Kitchn!

A Taiwanese Food Crawl In The East Village With NYC Writer Cathy Erway

One of my first times eating Taiwanese food was at Win Son, a Taiwanese American restaurant near my apartment in Brooklyn. The food was fun and playful: Big bowls of sesame noodles, pan-griddled pork buns and fried eggplant enticed me to delve into the cuisine more deeply.

Through Win Son owners Trigg Brown and Josh Ku, I met Cathy Erway, a James Beard Award-winning writer and author of "The Food of Taiwan."

Erway was born in New York; her mom was born and raised in Taipei. Erway's grandparents had moved to Taiwan from China's Hunan Province in the late 1940s. When I reached out to her to explore Taiwanese food in New York City with me, she suggested we head to the East Village, where there are several great Taiwanese restaurants.

Ho Foods' savory soy milk, a Taiwanese breakfast dish. A cruller-like bread called youtiao is crumbled along the top for a mix of texture.

Photo by Helen Ho for Gothamist

Taiwanese food has been influenced by a variety of cultures: mainland Chinese, Japanese and the culture of the island's indigenous population. Fermented black beans, pickled mustard greens and fresh basil feature heavily in Taiwanese dishes, and stir-fried, braised and steamed dishes are found on menus across Taiwan.

I was pretty excited to hang out with Erway and eat at the restaurants we'd chosen.

We met at Ho Foods on East Seventh Street between First Avenue and Avenue A in the East Village for Taiwanese breakfast. Ho Foods is tiny; it only seats around 10 people, although it just acquired a space two doors down to accommodate more diners.

Ho Foods, on East 7th Street between First Avenue and Avenue A.

Photo by Helen Ho for Gothamist

Owner Richard Ho opened the spot in January 2018. It initially specialized in beef noodle soup, but has since expanded the menu to include numerous other Taiwanese specialties.

Now, before you ask: No, we didn't get Ho's beef noodle soup. I was saving that for another spot on our food tour (more to come on that).

The "Taiwanese Breakfast Set for Two" at Ho Foods includes a spread of soymilk, radish cake, fan tuan. And scallion pancake with egg.

Photo by Helen Ho for Gothamist

Ho Foods is one of the only places I know of that serves Taiwanese breakfast.

"Breakfast is fun," Ho said. "I think people like starting off their day with a treat."

According to Ho, the food he serves "reminds us of a moment in time in our own Taiwanese story. Maybe that means something to a few, but I know it doesn't mean that to everyone. I guess by calling it Taiwanese we hope people continue telling the story about Taiwan."

A popular way to get breakfast on the go in Taiwan is at a shop or stall selling freshly made soy milk and pastries. The soy milk can be hot or cold, sweet or savory — the latter is sort of like a soup — and it's often served with youtiao (a crisp cruller).

We ordered a breakfast set for two, which included sweet and savory soy milk, a scallion pancake rolled up with scrambled egg, youtiao, fan tuan (a sticky rice roll filled with youtiao and pork floss), and a turnip cake.

The author, pictured with Cathy Erway.

Photo by Helen Ho for Gothamist

We broke off pieces of the youtiao and dipped it in the sweet soy milk, which we got hot. The youtiao was crisp and the soy milk was sweet, but not overly so. Erway compared the meal to having coffee and a doughnut.

"Everyone in Taiwan loves this breakfast; there is so much culture around it," she said.

The light Taiwanese breakfast at Ho Foods felt incredibly special, fun and filling. The savory soy milk was topped with a crumble of crispy youtiao, a drizzle of sesame oil and a sprinkling of sliced scallions, which brightened it. It was more like a savory soup, and the slightly curdled yet still silky soy milk added a satisfying jiggle to every spoonful we ate. The turnip cake (more savory than one might think of when they hear the word "cake") was sticky and fragrant.

Mimi Cheng's East Village location, on 2nd Avenue between 11th and 12th street.

Photo by Helen Ho for Gothamist

Erway and I left Ho Foods and walked up Second Avenue to our next stop: Mimi Cheng's.

Sisters Hannah and Marian Cheng opened the shop a decade ago, and named it after their mother. Erway and I arrived at the East Village location (the second is on the Upper West Side) on Second Avenue between East 11th and East 12th streets.

Mimi Cheng's specializes in dumplings and there was someone there skillfully wrapping them by hand when we arrived. We ordered all of the dumplings, both pan-fried and boiled: the signature (with ground chicken and zucchini), pork and chive, and vegetarian. We also ordered the chicken and rice (three-cup chicken, Thai basil, Fresno chilies, over Jasmine rice with greens) as well as scallion pancakes.

Pan fried dumplings, with an order of scallion pancakes at Mimi Cheng's.

Photo by Helen Ho for Gothamist

The restaurant also had a collaborative dumpling special on the menu that day with chef Dan Barber of Blue Hill at Stone Barns: blue label burger dumplings (dry-aged beef, caramelized garleek, and blue cheese). They were rich and juicy.

According to Marian, she and her sister use dumplings as a blank canvas to unite people. All of their recipes start with wholesome, straightforward and quality, fresh ingredients, letting the flavors speak for themselves.

The signature dumplings are based on their mom's original recipe. Growing up, the sisters always had their mom's homemade dumplings for lunch and snacks. Their mom used their neighbor's zucchini in the dumplings as a way to feed them more vegetables. When the sisters were away at college, their mom always kept their freezers stocked with frozen dumplings.

Xing Fu Tang, on 2nd Avenue and St. Mark's Place.

Photo by Helen Ho for Gothamist

The combination was something I had never had before in a dumpling and I was surprised by how much I loved it. Pan-fried pork and chive dumplings are typically my go-to. Their signature dumplings, boiled, were light and flavorful, and the boiled wrapper had the perfect level of chewiness.

We stopped by Xing Fu Tang next, just down Second Avenue between East Eighth and Ninth streets. Edison Chen originally opened the boba shop in Taipei in 2018. It's since expanded to become a global empire, with four stores in New York and outposts in Houston, Los Angeles, as well as more than 150 locations in 18 countries.

Xing Fu Tang has an open kitchen where guests can see the boba pearls being handmade and cooked hourly. The shop is known for its brown sugar boba milk (freshly caramelized brown sugar boba made in-house with natural ingredients, organic milk, creamy milk foam, and topped with brown sugar that is lightly torched- crème brulee style), which I've had before and think about constantly.

Xing Fu Tang's handmade boba pearls can be found throughout many of their signature drinks.

Photo by Helen Ho for Gothamist

The ingredients are imported from Taiwan and the boba pearls were stir fried, caramelized, and carefully scooped into a cup right in front of us. We popped in a straw, stirred, and stepped outside to try it. It tasted like a milkshake and also very marshmallow-like. The caramelized brown sugar, which we saw getting torched inside, added a pleasant crystal-like texture to the top. Despite the sweetness, it was light and a nice break from all of the savory foods we'd already tried.

886 restaurant, at 26 St. Mark's Place in the East Village.

Photo by Helen Ho for Gothamist

From Xing Fu Tang, we headed around the corner to 886, located on St. Marks Place between Second and Third avenues.

The restaurant opened in July 2018, the same year as its neighbor Ho Foods. Its name, 886, comes from Taiwan's country code. Owner Eric Sze was born in Taipei and moved to New York City in 2011. Sze is a powerhouse in Taiwanese cooking; in 2021, he won Eater's New Guard and Forbes 30 Under 30 in Food & Drink.

Walking into 886 is like walking into a party. There are neon lights and the atmosphere screams fun. I got a shot of the 886 L.I.I.T. (Long Island Iced Tea), which Sze and his friends are known for drinking. In his absence, I felt I had to take a shot.

Honey glazed popcorn chicken at 886 restaurant.

Photo by Helen Ho for Gothamist

Sometimes I don't know why I do the things that I do, but I told you, 886 is like walking into a party, and sometimes you've just gotta join in.

886's website describes its food as "authentically inauthentic." Sze is constantly tinkering with and innovating the recipes at his restaurants.

Before it was a Japanese colony, Taiwan grew long grain rice. The Japanese introduced short grain rice, which is now widely used. Sze is a friend — I've worked with him a few times back when I was the culinary director at Munchies (Vice Media's food channel) and we recently made a video cooking fried rice for my newsletter.

A spread of Taiwanese beef noodle soup, fried rice, scallion pancakes and popcorn chicken.

Photo by Helen Ho for Gothamist

Although many people make fried rice by using leftover steamed rice, Sze specifically cooks his rice to make fried rice by using a Japanese variety known as koshihikari rice and preparing it with about 20% less water.

This preparation method paid off; the fried rice was fluffy and the eggs were soft. It came with homemade Taiwanese sausage, which was juicy and sweet.

We also ordered popcorn chicken, sourdough scallion pancakes and beef noodle soup. (I told you we'd get it eventually.)

The popcorn chicken landed on the table, just in time to soak up the alcohol I had just consumed. The nuggets were huge — far larger than any popcorn chicken I've ever seen — and the chicken was incredibly crisp on the outside (it's double fried) and juicy on the inside.

Sourdough sesame pancakes at 886.

Photo by Helen Ho for Gothamist

I've watched Sze work on perfecting his sourdough scallion pancake recipe on Instagram for most of the last year, so I was excited to finally try it. It was a bit thicker than your standard scallion pancake and was coated in sesame seeds before it was cooked, and the toasted seeds added a pleasant nuttiness to the bread.

The beef noodle soup was rich and the marbled beef shanks were melt-in-your-mouth tender. Sze gets the noodles from Wing Heung Noodle in Chinatown, which he described as "one of the last remaining Chinese-style noodle factories in New York City." Sze told us the long, bouncy noodles are made using only flour, water, and salt. We topped them with pickled mustard greens.

The "Taro Ball Signature" at Meet Fresh.

Photo by Helen Ho for Gothamist

Our last stop was Meet Fresh down on Cooper Square, known for its soft taro balls.

The slightly overwhelming menu includes a huge variety of shaved ice and boba desserts. We ordered the icy taro ball signature. It was loaded with taro paste, taro balls, potato balls, boba, and shaved ice, and was slightly sweet with a lingering savoriness. The shaved ice was cold and refreshing, and despite the heaviness and chewiness of the taro and potato balls, it felt light and was the perfect dish to end the day with.

I'm always impressed by the dishes that my friends and chefs at these restaurants put out. Taiwanese cuisine has evolved thanks to a fusion of traditional flavors and modern techniques, and I can't wait to see how they keep pushing it forward.

Correction: An earlier version of this story misstated where Cathy Erway's mom was born.

Here's where to get great Taiwanese food in the East Village.

Ho Foods110 East 7th St.

Meet Fresh37 Cooper Square

88626 St. Marks Place

Xing Fu Tang133 Second Ave.

Mimi Cheng's179 Second Ave.

The #1 Healthiest Menu Item at 30 Popular Restaurant Chains

Search This Blog

For Womens