McCormick and Co. (Sparks, MD) shared its flavor trends forecast for 2011, developed by the company’s flavor experts in conjunction with chefs and other food industry contributors. The forecast identifies tastes, trends and flavor pairings the company sees as increasingly relevant for the coming year.
The trends include pairings of pickling spice and rice vinegar; fennel and pari-pari sauce, a Mediterranean-African combination; roasted curry powder and wild mushrooms, featuring powerful umami flavors; caramelized honey and adzuki red beans; ancho chili pepper and hibiscus; thyme and stone fruits; mustard seed and vermouth; cilantro and nut butters; herbs de Provence and popcorn; and green peppercorn and goat’s milk.
The company also recognized trends of “spirit of discovery” and “craveable contrasts” for the upcoming year, as well as “flavor with benefits,” which shows flavor needs to offer health and nourishing benefits with its taste, “invigorating and uplifting,” which denotes that people can often look to food to psychologically uplift them, and “soul satisfaction,” about how trends of families and friends dining together have returned and comforting foods are often favored for these occasions.
