Eat and greet: Chow choices for a new year
Adventurous tastes from around the world will turn food inside-out in 2018
It’s all about the West Indies hot pot, the Japanese onigiri rice ball and the Tanzanian mishkaki skewered meat for the New Year.
The flavour forecast for 2018 is going to be an adventurous one, as consumers dive into street foods infused with flavour fusions and hybrid dishes from around the world that turn traditional dishes inside-out.
McCormick & Co., Inc., a global leader in flavour, recently released its Flavour Forecast 2018, a guide to what’s next in flavour at restaurants, retail shelves and in home kitchens.
And it’s truly a global affair. This year’s Flavour Forecast highlights the casual, adventurous and interactive.
East Africa is offering flavours that will make your tastebuds sing, and China and Japan are offering riffs on sentimental favourites.
A gyro-taco hybrid is made with plantain arepas and filled with grilled steak and tzatziki hot sauce. In Japan everything is sprinkled with furikake seasoning (made with dried fish, sesame seeds, sugar, salt and chopped seaweed).
Since 2000, McCormick has deployed its international team of experts, chefs, trend trackers and food technologists to identify tomorrow’s favourite flavours.
The team predicted smoky, spicy chipotle in 2000, maple in 2007, coconut water and milk in 2008, golden turmeric in 2010 and Korean BBQ in 2012.
Coming in 2018
Handheld Flavour Fusion: The latest fusing of global cuisines. Carts, trucks and food halls are merging high-flavour fillings with unique crepes, buns and breads for loaded street fare you eat with your hands.
Sizzling Egg Crepes: Called jianbing in China and dan bing in Taiwan, these thin pancakes are griddled, filled and rolled up like a burrito. Stuff these Asian wraps with regional tastes like smoky pork, crisp slaw and tangy sauces.
Gyros Meet Arepas: Arepas are the taco-sandwich hybrid — split and fill these crispy corncakes with sliced meat, veggies and spicy tzatziki sauce, a union of the tastes and textures South America and Greece have to offer.
Dessert Bao Buns: In China, these soft, steamed buns are typically served up savoury. But, with a simple dough and classic pie fillings, you can create the ultimate hand-held dessert — like a British banoffee pie bao with bananas, cream, cinnamon and toffee.
A Bite of East Africa
East African cuisine is a treasure trove of flavour. The signature seasonings, BBQ marinades and sauces of Tanzania and Ethiopia are being explored across the globe.
Berbere Spice Blend: Ethiopia’s most popular seasoning contains an array of spices like paprika, allspice, coriander, cardamom, ginger, cinnamon and red pepper. Its hot, sweet and citrusy flavour lends richness to whatever it touches, whether rubbed on meats, stirred into soups and stews, or sprinkled onto lentils and veggies.
Tanzanian BBQ: These meat skewers, called mishkaki, are similar to shish kebabs. The traditional marinade blends lemon, tomatoes and green papaya to tenderize the meat, while curry, garlic, red pepper and ginger add bold flavour.
Eating Japanese
Japanese Izakaya Eats: Sushi isn’t the only bite-sized food Japan has to offer. Japanese gastropubs serve up treats on casual tasting plates, similar to Spanish tapas. Featuring bold glazes, seaweed seasonings and tangy dipping sauces.
Miso Sake Yakitori Glaze: This tangy, sweet and savoury sauce adds excitement to grilled chicken and seafood skewers. The glaze has a distinctive char and bright, glossy look.
The Essential Furikake Seasoning: In Japan, furikake is sprinkled on everything from rice and noodles to veggies and seafood. This coarse mixture of dried seafood, seaweed, sesame, sugar and salt offers umami deliciousness and a subtle, sweet flavour.
Onigiri: Rice balls filled with flavourful goodness are served in almost every izakaya in Japan. Stuff them with ginger & plum vinegar-infused chicken for a sweet and zesty snack.
Drink to Your Wellness
Wellness never tasted so good with breakfast boosts, snacking soups and end-of-day sips featuring robust flavours and uplifting ingredients like cucumber, dandelion greens, ginger, turmeric and cayenne pepper.
The Morning Jumpstart: Swap your coffee for a wake-up call that’s packed with tart green apples, refreshing cucumbers, tangy-sweet clementines and a bold kick of cayenne.
The Afternoon Soup: Power through your day with a drinkable soup. Oyster mushrooms, avocado, thyme and sage provide the ultimate pick-me-up.
The Evening Elixir: For the ultimate replenishing mocktail, muddle fresh pineapple with ginger, turmeric and dandelion greens, then top with a splash of sparkling water.
Hot for a Global Hot Pot
Throw an Asian hot pot party and leave the cooking to your guests. Gather friends around a steamy pot of deeply flavoured broth. Offer meat, seafood and veggies for dunking, then finish with various toppings. This East Asian favourite can be easily changed up to go Mexican, Caribbean and more.
Puebla Hot Pot : Steeping ancho chili, smoked paprika and spices in chicken stock gives this Central Mexican-inspired hot pot a smoky, savoury taste. Use it to cook chicken or pork, and finish with corn, avocado crema and fresh garnishes.
West Indies Hot Pot: This hot pot features spiced coconut milk broth, bay leaves, thyme, turmeric and allspice; add seafood and top with a chili papaya pica sauce and plantain chips.
To learn more about the flavours of 2018, including recipes and tasting tips visit FlavourForecast.ca.