NEWS for 1 October

Aussies find out its time to try soemtuing new in wine? suggested wild wines to try other than chardonnays and cab-savs

Flat alcohol tax proposal in Australia

Trend to use more Beverages in creating dishes; The report finds these restaurants preparing dishes in innovative ways, one of which involves the use of cola or other beverages as a primary ingredient. Coffee, tea, beer, soda and spirits are all being featured on independent restaurant menus in new and unique ways.

Weather and Economy dull US Wine production; Even though technically been out of the recession for two years, US growers have been reluctant to expand their plantings or replace older vineyards that are moving into declining production. Cooler weather -- including a very damaging freeze in the Central Coast -- have compounded the problem by significantly reducing this year's wine grape yield in California. While growers and producers struggle with the shortage, consumers are likely to find that discounted prices on high-quality wines will continue to be available.

Research Analyzes Current State of Restaurants' Online Food Ordering; article here from Cornel University; A survey of 372 U.S. restaurant operators (of all sizes) that accept takeout orders showed, the restaurant operators who use the internet for ordering have been pleased, and they reported that online ordering has met or exceeded their expectations on ROI. One thing that they noticed that did not support conventional wisdom is that these operators did not see substantial increases in average check with online ordering. But online ordering boosted their order frequency. Operators also overestimate their customers’ need for personal interaction, additionally, operators didn’t have the same view as their customers on the convenience and control in online ordering. Operators thought that their customers had a higher view of that control and convenience than the customers actually did.

Food Trucks Gaining Momentum; Food trucks are one of the hottest trends in the restaurant industry right now, and consumers are showing increasing interest in mobile foodservice

Social Media Users Still Love Fast Food but No Longer Love Burgers; Social media users posted many more positive opinions than negative about US fast food chains over the last 12 months, with Subway garnering the most praise on social media.

Chef Adria Fernan hails cheap meals after leaving El Buli; Adria is about to publish “The Family Meal: Home Cooking With Ferran Adria,” featuring recipes for three- course dinners that ordinary people can prepare without spending too much time or money.

Social media check-ins stir up foodie wrath;