Ben Salmon Dishes on What's In Your Kitchen

Ben Salmon knows what you're having for dinner. He can also predict what's on the menu for the rest of the year. As owner of Kitchen a la Mode, Salmon stays alert to trends in food and beverages, some of which he shared with Patch. He sees that customers seek cooking equipment that reflects what's popular both in town and in the larger community of foodies.

"Ever since 'Julie and Julia' came out," says Salmon, pointing to an example, "customers come in asking for very specific equipment. Sometimes they bring a Julia Child cookbook and show me the page."

As Kitchen a la Mode celebrates its two-year anniversary on July 15 with sales and specials, Salmon considers what customers want most from their local source.

"The original concept of the store," explains Salmon, "was practical meets fun."  He picks up an olive stuffer and points at an onion keeper. "I've tried everything here myself, and I've been surprised at how useful some of these items are, often on a daily basis."

Salmon was surprised at how often customers sought "basics" of kitchenware. "Sometimes people are upgrading from a sauté pan they've had for years," he notes. "Other times, people come in to buy a set of glasses they've always wanted."

Salmon sees about half his customers shopping for themselves, and the other half buying gifts. Especially in tough economic times, he sees the value of a more practical gift. "A wisk might not seem like an exciting gift," he says, "but a silicone, multi-colored wisk is exciting and useful."

A South Orange resident, along with his wife Emily and young son, Salmon is a presence in the community. He was Patch's first columnist, penning some 40 food-based stories. His favorite column showed him learning to make a perfect martini at Papillon 25. Other columns that he recalls fondly include Get Corny at the Farmers' Market: Making Bacon Cheddar Cornbread,  Confessions of a Gadget-holic, and Making Margaritas: Easier to Prepare From Scratch Than You Think!

Kitchen a la Mode, with Salmon at the helm, has sponsored downtown concerts, the Celebrate South Orange community supper, and numerous other events. Salmon finds himself selling tickets for school musicals throughout the year. "You have to give to get," he laughs. "And supporting the community is the right thing to do."

One customer considers a crepe pan, while another buys three refills for her Sodastream. Both purchases were predicted by what Salmon has seen recently, including at the Javitz Center Fancy Food Show in June.

"Carbonation is big," says Salmon, "but corn-syrup based soda is out." He sees customers making their own fruit-based versions of soda, similar to European sodas. "Sparking beverages are all over the place," he notes.

In addition, Salmon sees a movement to all-natural sauces, again made without corn syrup. He has seen renewed interest in home preparation of candy and chocolates, again with natural ingredients. "I see us moving towards savory chocolate combinations," explains Salmon. "We're seeing that a little good chocolate goes a long way."

Another customer purchases popsicle molds, which Salmon stocked first because he couldn't find all-natural choices that his own son would enjoy.

"Customers want to know what's in their food," Salmon explains. "This is another example." He links this to growing interest in the Farmers' Market and the Community Garden. "We want to know where our food comes from," he says. "And then we want to know how to prepare it."

Salmon has seen that making pizza at home – which he demonstrated in a column -- is a growing trend and crepes are back in style. "They cost pennies to make," he explains. "But you can do anything you want to make them your own." In that, they're just like Kitchen a la Mode, which says Ben Salmon all over the store.