Monday, January 19, 2009

Food Trends in 09

Frank A Terranova

TREND WATCH 2009

So what’s up for the nation in 2009 in food trends? As usual the experts, chefs will take out their crystal ball when it comes to this year’s food trends and not to anyone’s surprise its budget [money] will drive the business “the biggest bang for the buck”

Comfort food will make resurgence with a dramatic twist. Expect things like Caesar Salad with the steak, Tomato salad caprese mashed potatoes, shrimp cocktail will appear but with the twist. Exotic salts, basil espuma grated fresh horseradish as a sprinkle to give that extra unexpected pop. With the budget menus so will be the labor force using lower paid staff to off set the high food costs.

Cheaper cuts of meats like tri tip, flat iron steak, and hanger beef will be used by restaurants little will be accessed to the consumer because of the higher labor in stop butcher shops. Usually this is taken from carcass animals at the processing plants. The flavor, tenderness will be great. The usual Filet Mignon, Strip Steak, Rib Eye will be available but its higher price will prevail.

Local is still the most used food catch to be used. Chefs have a place in their heart for the farmer weather its fishing, produce farming raising livestock we want to provide the customer with the freshest Seasonal product. Artisan, heritage and heirloom ingredients are going to see a big increase in restaurants and for the home cook.

Savory, Dishes will use less sweetened pastries and flavors, Puff pastries will accompany herbs, cheese and other flavors to complete a meal with less expensive products. Chilis, kaffiir lime leaves will make the simple flavors explode.

Tea will continue to lead the hot beverage market also a large tea infused foods will be the trend we now have green tea jasmine rice, green tea mints and green tea infused truffles sounds like its all coming up green.

Fresh juices will be used to make the favorite drinks the juices will add the attraction of “healthy” as in Bloody Mary, Screw Driver using Fresh orange juice, fresh tomato juice grapefruit juices.

My favorite is Cryovac-Sous Vide This is the new way of using and processing foods to create completely new dishes. Things like compressed melons using a cryovac machine to remove all air and drive any flavor added into the food. Seafood compressed, placed in a thermo circulator and cooked at low Celsius temps then finished in hot skillets. Braised meats which cook for 3 days on low temperatures in water baths. Foods can be shaped, flavored and totally burst into wonderful flavors. This process is only about 30 years old keep watching here for more details.

This is only the tip of the new trend list. Things will get wilder and more fun as the season comes. Keep tuned to our blog as we try to inform and help consumers look at the greatest thing we have FOOD. [My opinion]