Home cooking, organic among food forecasts

In 2009, if New Year's seers are to be believed, we may well be eating gluten-free, sesame and root beer-flavored short ribs, lovingly braised in our slow cookers, and sipping on Pisco Sours.

Oh, and canning the tomatoes we grew in our vegetable patch.

December always brings a spate of food and drink forecasts from a number of sources. Here are some of the sparkles in those crystal balls for the coming year:

Home cooking rocks. With the economy the way it is, almost everybody predicts Americans will be cooking more as a way to save money. If they don't know how, or desire to learn more, they'll turn to cooking classes, shows, Web sites and publications. Sharing recipes will be as common as giving out business cards.

Old is new again. Time and convenience still are priorities, sopeople will make or renew friendships with slow cookers.

Home gardeners will sprout forth (rapid weeding will be a necessary skill). We'll be eating out of Mason jars, rather than drinking iced tea from them. Popcorn poppers could become the must-have in cookware.

Local, organic and sourced. Eating out or in, locally grown will continue to be a name brand. More products will carry source codes or other information so shoppers can find out where their food comes from. Fish "certified" by the Marine Stewardship Council, those deemed not threatened by overfishing, increasingly will appear. Organic products also will remain in demand, especially in produce, dairy and food for kids, although sales could slip as wallets get lighter.

We're back. Comfort foods never go completely out of style, but they take center stage in tough times, even when they're at odds with healthier eating. Casseroles, stews and meatloaves that make use of budget meat cuts will be newly popular as consumers look for ways to stretch their food dollars. Shoppers will seek out lower-cost staples such as potatoes and carrots, bulk-bin items and store brands.

Gluten-free. Even though celiac disease, an intolerance of gluten, affects only about 1 percent of the population, the number of gluten-free foods is growing quickly. Proponents say a gluten-free diet can help with weight loss and alleviate some chronic intestinal problems.

Drown our sorrows. Tipping is likely to increase, of the alcoholic variety. Sales of beer, wine and spirits are expected to rise, but not necessarily at restaurants. High-value wines from Chile and Argentina will get notice. Boxed wines are stylish — sales jumped 40 percent in November, according to A.E. Nielson.

Taste for adventure. We haven't lost our appetite for ethnic adventures. Peruvian and Middle Eastern cuisines are considered the new frontiers to explore. The Pisco Sour, Peru's national cocktail, could be trendy. It's made with Pisco (a type of brandy), lemon juice, egg whites, simple syrup and bitters.

A spoonful of medicine. More foods will advertise medical properties, either naturally inherent or built into them.

Odd couples. In its latest "flavor forecast," spice company McCormick predicts 10 new flavor pairings for 2009. Read more at the Web site, www.flavorforecast.com.

--Toasted sesame and root beer.

--Cayenne and tart cherry.

--Tarragon and beetroot.

--Peppercorn melange and sake.

--Chinese five spice and artisan-cured pork.

--Dill and avocado oil.

--Rosemary and fruit preserves.

--Garam masala spice and pepitas.

--Mint and quinoa.

--Smoked paprika and agave nectar.

— Sources: The Food Channel, www.foodchannel.com; JWT advertising agency, New York; The Fresh Ideas Group communications agency, Boulder, Colo.; McCormick.

Teresa Taylor is the food editor. Reach her at food@postandcourier.com or 937-4886.

---

Notice about comments:
The Post and Courier is pleased to offer readers the ability to comment on stories. We expect our readers to engage in lively, yet civil discourse. The Post and Courier does not edit user submitted statements and we cannot promise that readers will not occasionally find offensive or inaccurate comments posted in the comments area. Responsibility for the statements posted lies with the person submitting the comment, not postandcourier.com. If you find a comment that is objectionable, please click "suggest removal" and we will review it for possible removal. Please be reminded, however, that in accordance with our Terms of Use and federal law, we are under no obligation to remove any third party comments posted on our Web site.
Full terms and conditions can be read here.

---

Comments

This article has  0 comment(s)