Start your blenders

Frosties, smoothies, frappes, milkshakes, slushes - call them what you will, frozen drinks are hot. Cool debuts are in the news, like mega-chain McDonald's plans for a new line of smoothies and frappes following the success of its McCafe. As the weather warms, frozen drinks are a small indulgence, affordable yet able to sustain an upcharge when customers are craving something icy. Plus, they appeal to all ages, concocted with or without alcohol. These days, they are beverage menu essentials, whether you doctor up a smoothie mix for a signature or create your own frozen drinks from scratch. You can marry your espresso maker and soft-serve machine for caffeinated shakes. Or show off the seasonality of summer's bounty of fresh ripe fruit. You don't have to fool around with molecular gastronomy to get creative with frozen drinks.

America’s collective sweet tooth still favors cheesecake, chocolate and ice cream when it comes to restaurant desserts, but that’s not stopping pastry chefs and menu developers from a little wild experimentation. As sweet-savory flavor combinations continue to explode, other trends are also taking off: drinkable desserts, European- and Asian-inspired treats, soy-based and gluten-free sweets and far-out indulgences made possible through technological breakthroughs.

There’s nothing like the aroma of bread or cookies baking in-house to whet customers’ appetites.

These six seasonings will not only add zest to your food, they can help boost its nutritional profile.