Will people's preference for spicy and sweet food fade? Is there a decrease in plant-based meat?
A Comprehensive Walkthrough
Answers to these and a preview of future developments can be found at this year's annual National Restaurant Show. To bring you the major menu trends that we found, we visited a lot of exhibit aisles, went to a lot of training sessions, and tasted a lot of food both inside and outside of McCormick Place.
Energy drinks, fruity sodas, sparkling wines without alcohol, boba, coffee, tea, and a plethora of other liquid refreshments were available at the fair. But as we were searching for fresh drink flavors, cardamom began to rise.
Exploring The Emerging Flavours
A mandarin cardamom soft drink with a hint of turmeric was available from Tractor, a boutique beverage brand making inroads into the fast-casual market. At the California Milk Advisory Board pavilion, samples of cardamom mango lassi were distributed. The fragrant spice gives these drinks a nice, exotic twist, but it's also commonly used in baking and Indian food.
Fermentation And Umami Explosions
Food is preserved by fermentation, which also enhances umami, the savory fifth taste that is difficult to pinpoint. Planit POD, a novel fermentation system that Waring unveiled at its booth, is intended to ferment and pasteurize plant-based proteins like tempeh and koji in a mere 24 hours.
Chef Jeremy Umansky used mold fermentation to create a crispy, intensely flavorful crust on the proteins and to explode with flavor in his chickpea tempeh and Middle Eastern-spiced meat mixture.
Innovative Substitutes of Caviare
Although caviare has long been considered a delicacy for fine dining establishments, most operators find it to be neither sustainable nor cost-effective. There are a few products this year that, at least in terms of texture and presentation, can be substituted for caviar. Chile Pepper Flavor is one of the FABI award winners for food and beverage innovation. The caviar-sized pearls are naturally filled with a liquid mixture of chili and red bell peppers. When eaten, they release a delectable burst of flavor and make an eye-catching garnish.
Little pearls known as caviar oil, which are made from Arbequina olive oil, have a more neutral flavor and the same effect. We also sampled finger lime caviar, which is imported from Australia by Mad Honey. The fruit contains pearls, which can be purchased frozen. They can also be melted in the tongue to produce the "caviar effect" and a striking garnish of pastel hues.
Seaweed flakes can be used instead if you'd rather have a saltier, more caviar-like flavor. Ocean's Balance makes butter that resembles real caviar in both taste and appearance by combining seaweed flakes with lemon peel.
Unique Version of Pizza Crusts
Seaweed butter works well as a spread on bread. Pine nuts are a type of flatbread from Rome that's becoming popular as a pizza crust of the future. The one we sampled was hand-rolled, gluten-free, and maintained its crispy texture even when paired with cheese and veggies. It's better for you and easier to digest than regular pizza dough, which is helpful when you spend hours stuffing your face with samples from dozens of exhibitors.
Beverages Infused with THC
Many states allow the sale and service of THC-containing drinks, so exhibitors were open to moving from CBD vendors to those offering a stronger cannabis derivative. We tried a thimbleful of CannaSpritz from Flora Hemp Spirits. Even though it only has 3 milligrams of THC, we felt a little high. The drink's best feature is that it had a nice flavor profile: it was dry, bubbly, and slightly sweet with hints of floral notes.
Canna Spritz
The team at RB enjoyed Avocados from Mexico's Guacamole Bar, but we were particularly fond of the Guac Extensions made by Modern Market's chef Nate Weir, who conducted the demonstrations on Monday. To add some bitterness, he first mashed fresh avocado with tomatillo salsa as a base and then added hops, which is the same ingredient in beer. This guacamole gave a fish taco a complex flavor boost.
A Twist to Guacamole
Weir combined tamarind with avocado in the second demonstration to add tropical flavors that were both sweet and sour. They served it with glazed grilled shrimp and added some roasted mushrooms, tomatillo salsa, and a hint of spicy crunch. They intend to dispel the myth that guacamole is only appropriate for Mexican or Latin American cooking. For us, it was effective.
The Zero-Waste Spirits
The California dairy industry is pushing a new spirit called Wheyward Wheyskey, which is made from recycled whey leftover from making cheese. The beverage is served in a drink akin to an espresso martini and is topped with a scoop of double rainbow vanilla ice cream. The zero-waste trend served as the inspiration for this product. tasted rich and delicious, like a slightly alcoholic affogato.
This was all about the menu trends we found this year at the National Restaurant Show. Which trend would you like to try for yourself? The show was entertaining for the foodies and it surely created some future food trends.
Disclaimer: This article is informative and not for promotional purposes. Moreover, the content belongs to the owner and there are no affiliations or marketing motives behind it.
