Quinn Adkins
Quinn Adkins is the director of menu development for Culver Franchising System, Inc., a family friendly restaurant chain that’s known for its Butterburgers and frozen custard.
His trifecta of Texas Pete® Honey Mustard Sauce, blackberries and cornmeal showcase the menu potential of combining savory and sweet in one versatile recipe.
“It works great in both a soft polenta or in a polenta cake, or even in a signature crouton for salads or soups,” he says.
The flavors are what make this trifecta so successful. “The blackberries add a burst of color and sweetness, but their underlying, subtle bitterness plays well with the honey mustard sauce and the earthiness of the polenta,” says Adkins. “It’s a visually dynamic combination as well.”
He relies on Texas Pete® Honey Mustard Sauce for its sweet, tangy flavor and surprising versatility.
“It has a great balance of sweet and savory, and can be easily tailored with other ingredients to emphasize any of its characteristics,” says Adkins. “For example, adding a splash of orange juice to the sauce really punches the sweet profile without diminishing the balanced acidity, while a touch of apple cider vinegar allows the savory notes of the mustard to shine through.”
One note on the trifecta—he suggests adding the honey mustard sauce toward the end of cooking the polenta, so the acid doesn’t curdle the cream or half and half. “The color match between the polenta and the honey mustard is really nice, and you get that flavor nuance that’s unexpected but delicious.”
