In 2013, the cronut hit the NYC food scene
like the Beatles descending on the States in 1964. People waited in
line for hours to sample this hybrid croissant/donut, the
brainchild of Chef Dominique Ansel. The sensation even resulted in
cronuts being scalped on Craigslist and, as one might expect,
spawned a host of imitators. In this age of
internet memes and viral trends, where a sensation can literally
happen overnight, other chefs and restaurateurs have asked the
question, "How do I create the next
cronut?"
The key to creating the next "it" food may
seem counterintuitive: make your product more difficult to obtain.
But as luxury brands have known for years, making something
exclusive can spur desire. People seem to covet the elusive and
crave the unattainable. That is what they wait in line for hours to
eat at Franklin Barbecue or get a cupcake from Magnolia Bakery. Or they snap up tickets to a trendy restaurant faster
than you can say modernist cuisine. Individuals also want to be
part of the "in" crowd, which explains both the willingness to
wait and the popularity of "secret" menus at chains like Starbucks and
Panera Bread.
Although I have read about the cronut craze, I
must admit that I have never eaten one, nor have I ordered off a
secret menu, visited Franklin Barbecue, or dined at Alinea. But
even if I cannot directly
participate in the "it" experience, I am not completely left out in
the cold. Instead, I bring "it" to me. Unlike other exclusive items
like cars or handbags, if I want a cronut, I can make a
cronut. Likewise, I can
easily locate Texas brisket recipes with coffee (allegedly one of
Franklin Barbecue's essential ingredients). Even though it might be
a challenge, Alinea is at my disposal. And if I want to
savor Magnolia Bakery's offerings, I need only travel as far as my keyboard. I don't even have to
change out of my sweatpants.
But I might have to wait before I can find a
recipe to try Chef Ansel's latest creation: Milk and Cookie Shots (pictured above),
debuting at the SXSW festival in Austin, Texas. Is this the next
"it" food?
photo of Milk and Cookie Shots courtesy of
Eater.com