McCormick Holiday 2010 Flavor Forecast

McCormick & Co. (Sparks, Maryland) has announced its 2010 holiday flavor trends. In addition to five key flavor pairings, the report highlights four trends:

• Cocktail flavors in cookies: cosmopolitans, margaritas and white Russians.
• Basting of turkey with glazes, rubs and crusts for ease and flavor.
• The ascension of brunch as a family meal, featuring dishes such as cranberry-sage crab cakes.
• New twists to traditional seasonal dishes.

The company's flavor pairings for the holiday season are:

• Bay leaf and pear. Demo recipes: bay leaf and honey-glazed turkey with pear chutney; double pear upside-down cake with bay leaf glaze; and roasted turkey with smoked paprika.
• Roasted cinnamon and bacon. Demo recipes: apple wood bacon and eggs breakfast flatbread; cinnamon-apple bacon brunch bake; and roasted cinnamon and bacon turkey gravy.
• Almond and caramel. Demo recipes: amaretto praline bars; caramel almond popcorn; and sweet caramel "strata" with almonds and cherries.
• Sage and citrus. Demo recipes: orange-sage corn bread crusted turkey; cosmo cocktail cookie bars; cranberry-sage mini crab cakes; sage-rubbed turkey with apricot glaze; and sugar-rimmed margarita cookies.
• Pumpkin pie spice and coconut. Demo recipes: chocolate-dipped Irish cream macaroons; pumpkin pie bread pudding; and slow cooker butternut squash and apples.