McCormick has named Tamarind the 2024 Flavor of the Year, which has inspired the brand's new Tamarind & Pasilla Chile Seasoning.
Tamarind is a spice native to Africa, India and the Middle East. It has lent its acidic, tangy-sweet flavor to Latin, Caribbean and Mexican cuisines for centuries.
McCormick also released its Flavor Forecast 24th Edition report, which highlighted the following three trends:
- Sour Power: Acidic agents are stepping into the spotlight to open our senses, boost traceability, and even help cook without heat.
- Thoughtfully Borrowed: Authenticity encompasses background, heritage and experiences and with it comes a reinvention of regional-traditional cooking.
- Indulgence Redefined: Two ways this trend comes to life are through newstalgic and food maximalism. Newstaglic: What's old is new again, with restaurants re-introducing childhood favorites with a gourmet twist. Food maximalism: By layering flavors and textures in creative, fun, and always thoughtful ways, you can experience flavor to the max.
Tabata Gomez, chief marketing officer at McCormick, said, "For nearly 25 years, McCormick has forecasted global flavor trends through our Flavor Forecast report. After all this time, there is still no shortage of trends to uncover which allow us to continue to shake up the way people cook, flavor and eat."
Hadar Cohen Aviram, executive chef and senior manager, culinary development, U.S. consumer at McCormick, said, "This year, we're thrilled for people to experience the taste, versatility and tang of Tamarind. It is the perfect ingredient to incorporate in savory and sweet dishes which is evident through the creative, flavorful, limited-time dishes we are proudly co-developing with Black Tap."
