19 Nov

FOOD TRENDS

  • November 19, 2015
  • Blog

It has been an exciting year for food. Businesses and brands have changed the way we react to food and everything around food. Chefs from all around the globe have manipulated our senses to enhance change and challenge us through food. Farmers have introduced hybrid vegetables such as broccolini (broccoli crossed with Chinese broccoli), Broccoflower (broccoli crossed with cauliflower) and rainbow carrots to add character and variety. Fermented foods have become popular and ugly ingredients have became ‘cheffy’ ingredients such as parsnip and celeriac. Kids meals have ventured out and are now healthier and more nutritionally balanced but also foodier, tastier and spicier. Which brings me to Authentic Mexican. There has been a lot of hype and buzz around Tex Mex and is a front runner in cuisines along side, British, Indian and Italian.

Big flavours have hit our markets over the past year. A few that stand out in the savoury department include pickling, kaffir lime, fresh herbs, soy, miso, broths, coffee, wood, bacon, chorizo, Ancient grains, seeds, beetroot, buckwheat, popcorn, za’atar, dukkah, chilli, szechuan, horseradish, burrata and goats cheese. Now for the sweet – Pink grapefruit, rhubarb, ricotta, Ewe’s milk, pomegranate, rose-hip, hibiscus, pink pepper, liquorice, olive oil, avocado, peanut, ginger, cinnamon, caramel, chilli, popcorn, coconut and pistachio. Everyone is becoming restauranters and part of a wonderful food revolution. It’s all about the experience, getting amongst it and always on the hunt for the next best restaurant or dining hub. Barriers between the diner and the cook are becoming less and less and the diner gets closer to the action as the kitchen and dining space becomes one. There are so many styles and trends which are constantly changing always keeping us on our toes. From scandi-simplicity on a plate to modern retro, haute casual (casual is king), breakfast evolution, allergen free, house-made homegrown – it’s never ending and the possibilities for good food are endless.

What to predict for 2016 in Australia:

Fashion for foams has dissipated in Australia and food trends such as foraging, farm-to-fork eating and fermenting are now a little mainstream. The industry guru predicts that, in 2016, we will be drinking more naked wines, embracing desserts that are more savoury than sweet, cooking over charcoal and continuing to crave comfort food such as burgers. The nation’s obsession for barbecuing has moved from the back verandah to prime position in restaurant kitchens around the country. There is something magical about the hiss of food on the grill.

Try … the smoked cauliflower and barbecued banana split at Stockroom in Sydney’s InterContinental, Double Bay.

 

 

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