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USDA Report Monitors Food Trends Over the Last 100 Years

YumSugar — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 04:00:48 -0700

Sure, macarons, chicharrones, and street food are big right now, but what's been trending over the past 100 years? To answer that question, the USDA has just published a report on food trends that have occurred over the last century.

The USDA tracked 100 years' worth of food products based on information about imports, exports, and production and inventory levels. Changes include a shift from whole to lowfat milk over the past 30 years, and the decline of milk availability due to competition from sodas, juices, and water. During the same time, chicken availability skyrocketed, and so did grain-based products like cereal and baked goods. While the produce aisle became more plentiful thanks to imports, Americans also made the switch from shell to processed eggs, and turned to other heavily processed fruits, sauces, soups, drinks, and cereal products.

Although little of this information surprises me, I hadn't given much thought to how many choices Americans have now - kiwi from New Zealand, brie from France, shrimp from Thailand - that weren't available before. What trends do you think have been big over the past century?

Food Section Sampler - Mar. 3, 2010

YumSugar — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 11:30:18 -0800

Pastry connoisseurs are worried about the macaron's mainstream success. - Wall Street Journal
Why hasn't Filipino food assimilated into American cuisine? - Los Angeles Times
Rose Gray, founder and chef at London's legendary River Café, has died. - New York Times
What goes into the production of an underground dinner? - Boston Globe
The world's liquor conglomerates have begun recognizing the impact of craft distillers. - Washington Post
The Chronicle is expanding its web coverage of the local restaurant scene. - San Francisco Chronicle
Could black garlic have staying power in the kitchen? - Chicago Tribune

Mario Batali Heads Back Into Kitchen With Eataly

YumSugar — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 10:30:34 -0800

With 15 restaurants, eight cookbooks, a travel food show, and a silver screen debut under his belt, world-renowned Italian chef Mario Batali is making a return to the kitchen. This Summer, Batali will open the first US location of Eataly, a colossal food emporium based in Turin, Italy. The 60,000 square foot greenmarket and food center, which will be near Manhattan's Madison Square Park, will have a meat restaurant, a fish restaurant, a pasta and pizza eatery, a vegetable-driven restaurant, a panino bar, and a brewpub on the roofdeck. The most significant point to note, aside from the project's sheer scope, is the fact that, for the first time since he opened Otto, Batali will design the menus for all six restaurants.

Much like Tom Colicchio, who has spent more time cooking in the last year with Tom Tuesday Dinner and Colicchio & Sons Tap Room, Molto Mario admitted he's missing the time spent in the kitchen. I love the idea of a celebrated chef coming full circle and embracing the sheer joy of cooking. Do you think Batali and other celebrity chefs can still cut it in the kitchen?

Top Food Trends From the Winter Fancy Foods Show

YumSugar — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 05:50:58 -0800

The Winter Fancy Foods Show, which takes place every January, is always fun to visit after making the year's predictions for foods that'll go mainstream. While both PartySugar and yours truly tasted some stellar new selections, we also got to size up the patterns that will soon hit the food and beverage market. Here are the products that we're betting we'll see more of on supermarket shelves.

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Let's Dish: What Foods Are Getting Their Big Break This Year?

YumSugar — Fri, 01 Jan 2010 05:30:30 -0800

In the spirit of the New Year, we've done plenty of reflecting on the headlines and highlights of 2009, including the biggest food trends at the end of the decade.

Now it's time to weigh in on the coming year. I've got more than enough predictions for what's going to blow up over the next 12 months. Among my guesses: Ramen will have its day, only to be pushed aside by pho; unctuous beef tendon will replace overdone pork belly; and macarons will upstage mini cupcakes. Other things that will go mainstream: sustainable seafood, chicharrones, castelvetranos, tamales, neo tiki culture, yakitori, and anything that ends in "wurst."

What are your predictions?

The Year's Best Food Trend

YumSugar — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 13:00:12 -0800

In our Best of 2009 coverage, we wanted to know what your favorite food trends of the year were. There were more faddish foods than we could include, but among the most hyped of the year were hot dogs, nose-to-tail cooking, fried chicken, and any dish bearing an egg. Ultimately, the street food sensation came out on top with a fifth of your votes - although recession vegetarianism, with its environmental, economic, and health benefits, received nearly a fifth of the vote, too. We have to agree: while we're sick of hearing about food trucks, Twitter-happy mobile kitchens are often more experimental with food and are certainly more recession-friendly for customers and restaurateurs alike.

Share your thoughts on food trucks. Are they a fleeting trend or here to stay?

Source: Flickr User sherrymain

What Was Your Favorite Food Trend of 2009?

YumSugar — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 11:45:43 -0800

As part of our Best of 2009 continuing coverage, we want to know: what was your favorite food trend of 2009? Was it a particular ingredient or a larger culinary movement? Share your two cents below - and if I left out your favorite trend of the year, join our Best of 2009 group in the YumSugar Community to add it. And don't forget to vote on all the best of polls!

Your Political Leanings May Determine What's on Your Plate

YumSugar — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 10:20:37 -0800

Everyone says that you are what you eat. But could your political party affiliation be the driver of what goes on your plate, too? That's what food trend analyst Phil Lempert (of koodie fame) is arguing. Examining 2009 data from Hunch, he found conservatives opt for "mainstream, comfort food staples," while liberals are likely to gravitate toward "international and exotic cuisines."

According to Lempert, conservatives correlated with foods like pizza, macaroni and cheese, and peanut butter and jelly for lunch, plus fried chicken, meatloaf, and steak for dinner, with Italian food being the cuisine of choice.

Liberals, on the other hand, preferred Asian: Thai and Indian for lunch, and veggie burgers and green curry for supper. His findings indicate they also tend to make more nutritionally sound choices, such as eating vegetables more often and fast food less frequently, and making dishes from scratch.

Those looking to toe the bipartisan line should stick to mutually-loved foods such as hot dogs, bacon double cheeseburgers, ice cream sans sprinkles, romaine lettuce, and salt on a margarita glass. Do these findings line up correctly with your political leanings?

Source: Flickr User thebittenword.com

Bacon Fat Candle: Love It or Hate It?

YumSugar — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 04:00:44 -0800

Most of you prefer crispy bacon to its chewy counterpart - but how about bacon in candle form instead?

Rather than oh-so-predictable bacon vodka and bacon chocolate, Rick Gresh, the chef at David Burke's Primehouse in Chicago, is serving guests bacon candles. The votives are made of rendered bacon fat and a vegetable-based wick, and as they melt, are poured over dry-aged steaks and rare scallops to impart a rich, smoked aroma.

What do you think of the newfangled idea? Does it hold a light to this year's other bacon innovations?

Source

Tart Frozen Yogurt: Love It or Hate It?

YumSugar — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 04:00:47 -0700

Since I require a weekly fix of tart frozen yogurt with fresh fruit, it wasn't until last week when I taste-tested Häagen-Dazs's new tart natural fro-yo that I discovered a whole contingent of co-workers can't stand the taste. What do you think of it?

Source: User insertinanename