By Keith Darling, Contributing Editor
Side dishes have been around since the invention of the dinner plate, so they aren’t a new concept. But the dish served alongside a center-plate item came into its own on American menus as recently as the mid-1990s, when the estimation of a side dish’s contribution to the “experience” of dining soared virtually overnight.
Thanks to the creativity and competitiveness of savvy chefs—and, later, innovation-focused manufacturers—U.S. diners began to view the side dish every bit as interesting and intriguing as the wood-roasted duck breast or the pecan-crusted rainbow trout.
Suddenly, rice was no longer always long-grain and white. Mashed potatoes began to take on bold flavors, such as wasabi and cumin. Baby carrots, glazed with buttery sweetness, were born. Wild mushrooms hiding in dense forests were hunted down with fervor. Ancient grains from South America were rediscovered; beans and legumes diversified to a magnificent array of tasty, protein- and fiber-packed varieties; and mac-and-cheese went upscale with Gorgonzola and delicious bits of Parma ham.
Diners began to ask servers to swap the side dish chosen by the chef for one they preferred, and many realized that ordering two or more sides for a meal was a novel, fun and completely satisfying alternative to ordering a single menued entrée. Operators discovered that pairing the right side dish with a center-plate protein influenced sales of that menu item. And consumers also rediscovered the convenience of prepared and speed-scratch retail sides that espouse flavor as a top priority.
The side dish has never played second fiddle since.
Starches like potatoes, rice and noodles often star in sides. In menu development, chefs and operators know the critical role of a starch in achieving the perfect balance of plate presentation, flavor delivery and mouthfeel that results in satiety and satisfaction. These qualities likewise go into the development of intriguing retail side dishes.
