Top 10 Biggest Food Trends for 2012
To compile this list of my predictions for 2012, I took into consideration what other bloggers, reporters, and trendologists have to say but relied most heavily on my own knowledge and gut instincts. I tried to include items that are not so far afield that they won't be affecting how you eat at home or even in restaurants until 2013 or later, or not so obscure that if you don't catch them right now, they'll be gone by Spring. On the other hand, I have tried to make sure that they do contain an element of surprise, delight, or anticipation. Let me know what you think about my forecasts and won't it be fun to revisit them come next December?
1.Pickles Who knew that being a brine master would become a hip-profession? I'm not knocking Vlasic but you'll be seeing pickled cucumbers, tomatoes, beets, radishes, the list goes on and on, with a pedigree even in supermarkets. One to look for or mail order: Divine Brine.
2. Bánh Mì Here in the Big Apple there are already shops devoted exclusively to these Vietnamese-French fusion sandwiches. Built on a baguette, they can contain grilled pork, beef, or chicken, meatballs, pate, slices of cucumber, pickled carrot and daikon radish, and spicy chili sauce or homemade mayonnaise. But as they become mainstream, I bet you'll be seeing endless variations. While they may not be at McDonald's this year, I think you'll start seeing them at cafes and bistros in your hometown before year's end and who knows, the McBanhMi may be with us in 2013.
3.Honey and Agave In the food world, high-fructose corn syrup is public enemy #1. Whether it's really worse for you than sugar, as some people claim, is up for debate, but I'll let Sam Cassetty, our Nutrition Director tell you about that. But for sure, more of these natural sweeteners are being added to everything from desserts to medicines.
4. North European Cooking Noma in Denmark has replaced El Bulli in Spain as the best restaurant in the world and we're seeing a shift from Meditteranean- to North Sea-inspired foods. Expect to see rye bread, root vegetables, wild herbs and mushrooms, and potato pancakes on menus.
5.Off Cuts of Meat Tongue, gizzards, pigs' ears, tripe, chicken livers, beef heart, pork belly, lamb neck, oxtails! Yes! Country-style beef chuck ribs, Denver steak, pork flank steak. If all of these are a little adventurous for you, embrace pot roast, meat loaf, or short ribs...all now more chic than steak!
6. Healthy School Lunches Yes, we've been hearing about this trend for a few years now but I hope I'm not being overly optimistic in saying this is the year it goes mainstream. Whole grains and more fruits and vegetables (and this doesn't include ketchup) and fewer fried foods and sweets will be on cafeteria menus. If you're not happy with what's being served in your kids' school, it's definitely time to get involved.
7.New Pasta Shapes Torchio (torches), campanelle, (ruffled cones) gemilli (twisted twins), strozzapretti (priest stranglers), trofie (little wet rags) are already being sauced by chefs. Try them at home...they're a cheap and easy way to update family dinners.
8. Sweet and Salty Desserts Hey we've long known that salt heightens flavor..and that's just as true when you're talking about brownies as brisket. We're seeing a handful of cereal tossed into cookie batter, bacon cupcakes, olive oil ice cream, and salted caramel cake filling...not to mention a dash of sea salt on top of chocolate tarts, candies, and brownies.
9. Ethnic cuisines to watch: Korean (think sweet and salty grilled shortribs, better than KFC fried chicken), Peruvian (ceviche or marinated raw fish), Jewish (but not your mother's..look for chicken soup with parsnip dumplings, zucchini latkes, hazelnut and date rugelach).
10. Slow Cooking...yes, I warned you it would still be strong in the new year. Look for cookers that you can customize with family photos, more upscale cookbooks, and coq au vin, not beef stew, waiting for you when you walk in the door.
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