2012 Food & Dining Trends

In no particular order, here are my predictions with a tiny sprinkling of wishful thinking...

Yes, please!


More transparency and labeling in the food system
Have you been to a supermarket lately? All the seafood is now labeled so you know where it comes from and whether or not it is farmed and if color is added. That is amazing considering that not long ago seafood had barely any labeling at all, but it's just the beginning. I believe consumers will demand labels on produce and meat too. Food contamination and security issues are only a few of the issues driving this trend.




Foraging, hunting and wild food
Wild and foraged ingredients are showing up on more and more menus and there are classes and books to help you learn about this return to a more primal way of eating. The poster boy for this trend is Hank Shaw. The poster Girl? Georgia Pellegrini!

Local culture on the plate
Rene Redzepi the chef at NOMA, (the world's number one restaurant according to one survey) has inspired countless chefs and delighted diners. He uses local ingredients to create a unique cuisine that is a reflection of a singular time and place. This is where high end dining is going. Something that can only be found in one spot is the ultimate in exclusivity.

Honey
The world's first sweetener and a product from bees who we are dependent upon for pollination of fruits and vegetables from avocados to watermelon. Bees have already been in the news because of colony collapse but I think their honey will get some more attention soon too, now that the scandal of widespread bogus honey has been revealed. Honey is an unrefined sugar and a true expression of flora. Trying and learning about honey is as exciting and never ending as learning about wine or coffee.




Digital cookbooks
Epicurious is leading the way here with ecookbooks, offering a variety of best selling cookbooks you can now save to your "recipe box." Since we are already using our computers in the kitchen and to look for recipes, this makes a lot of sense. It makes finding, sharing and using recipes much easier.

Lamb, goat, rabbit and bison
I'm sorry to disappoint any vegan activists, but it's just not likely that Americans are going to give up eating meat. However I do believe they are going to think about sustainability and start making more informed choices. Goat is the most popular meat in the world, we already love goat cheese, the meat can't be far behind. Likewise lamb, rabbit and bison represent more sustainable and ecologically friendly choices than industrially raised pork, beef or chicken.








Chia
I'm seeing chia everywhere. It's a fascinating seed, considered a superfood by some, loaded with vitamins and minerals, omega-3 fatty acids, protein and fiber. It creates an amazing gel like texture but can also be used like a grain in baked goods. I hope chefs are as inspired to play with it as I am.

Chefs doing good
As we get more and more tired of the endless self promotion associated with celebrity chefs (not to mention some food bloggers) I think chef charities will gain in visibility as a way of chefs getting limelight, but for all the right reasons. Great examples include the Mario Batali Foundation, Jamie Oliver Foundation which includes Fifteen and the Ministry of Food, and Rachael Ray's Yum-o!

Handmade sodas
More and more restaurants are offering housemade soda as a non-alcoholic option. Sophisticated and not overly sweet, I expect we will see a lot more of them. Some good local ones try include Jesse Friedman's seasonal offerings from SodaCraft.

Deli
Perhaps the David Sax book Save the Deli led to a resurgence in interest in Jewish delicatessen food. While LA style Wise Sons Jewish Delicatessen failed to knock my socks off, the excitement over their pop-ups indicates a real desire for it. I do believe good deli is on it's way. Perhaps it's the new charcuterie?

Lower alcohol wines
I think this year in Napa might be the turning point. It was a cooler than normal growing season and vintners found that lower brix in this year's vintage meant an opportunity to craft more elegant and lower alcohol wines. We will see how consumers react. But I hope they can learn to appreciate something beyond the big fruit bombs Napa has become known for producing.

Small plate breakfasts
Ok I admit it, this is wishful thinking. But a girl can dream can't she? After having the most spectacular brunch ever at Michael's Genuine in Miami, I just hope this idea catches on. Imagine instead of a big stack of pancakes, just one. Plus a single egg benedict, and a house made pop tart? Heaven.

The other Mediterranean
Perhaps I am just inspired by my trip to Morocco, but I can't help think that Moroccan, Egyptian, Tunisian, Algerian, Lebanese and Turkish food will be on the rise. They are part of the Mediterranean but often get overlooked in favor of French, Italian and Spanish cuisine. Think of them as the new frontier. At very least, recently released cookbooks by Mourad Lalou and Paula Wolfert will fuel the interest in Moroccan flavors.


No thanks, I've had enough


Bacon
When bacon made it's way into lip balm, I think it jumped the shark. It's not that bacon will ever go away, but I think we are ready for something else. Kale perhaps?

"Farm-to-table" "natural" and "artisanal"
They have all become virtually meaningless. When is food not farm to table? When it's factory to table? Natural has no legal meaning and once Round Table Pizza used the word artisan to boost sales, we knew it was over.

Celebrity chefs
Perhaps it all started with that iconic Gourmet magazine cover of chefs as rock stars. But enough is enough. The endless self-promotion has gotten tiresome. So have celebrity chef feuds.

Agave syrup
I never really understood the hype. This may be a marginally better type of sugar, but it's still sugar. It lacks the depth of molasses, sorghum or honey. There are some benefits, but they aren't enough to convince me to use it.

Mexican coke
Admit it, hipsters drink it because they think it's cool. Gimme a break. It's not cool. It's sugar water for chrissake. Hopefully this is the year they will stop paying $5 a bottle for it.

So what do you think the trends will be? Share your thoughts in the comments!

Day 176! Tajikistan - Non (Tajik Flat Bread with Shallots) and Chickpea Onion Stew (Vegetarian) Up Next, Tanzania

Having recently emerged from a Holiday induced food coma, I am happy to be returning to my worldly travels. After two months of construction, we are back in our house at long last, so all is right with world. The biggest Christmas surprise was that Santa brought me studio lights so that I can actually shoot food when it's dark or raining and natural light is not available (not used here, because I don't have the slightest clue how to work them yet). Somehow, I think my husband was getting tired of  having "dinner" at 3:00 in the afternoon while I madly scrambled to cook, shoot and plate the dish before the sunset at 3:30. Thank you Liam, Santa, I love you more than risotto. Which is a way lot.


A mountainous, landlocked country in Central Asia, Tajikistan is bordered by Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and China. The narrow Wakhan Corridor also separates Tajikistan from Pakistan. This country's ancient roots are grounded in the Sogdiana and Bactria civilization. The majority ethnic group are the Persian speaking Tajiks, who share their beautiful language, culture and history with Afghanistan and Iran. Once part of the Samarid Empire, the country became a constituent republic of the Soviet Union during the 20th Century. In 1990, the country was beset but a bloody civil war that claimed more than 50,000 lives. Today, the country's people have forged ahead to rebuild their lives, but the economy remains a fragile one. The primary source of economic revenue comes from aluminum production, boasting one of the largest production plants in the world.

According to The Lonely Planet, one of my favorite travel sites on the web, the country offers breath-taking scenic views. The capital city of Dshambe, is considered one the world's prettiest, along with the city of Penjikent, which was a prominent stop along the Silk Road. Food in this country is closely linked to Russian, Iranian, Afghan and Uzbek traditions. Plov, a layered rice dish and green tea are the country's national dish and drink. Dairy, yogurt, Kaymak, and kefir are enjoyed in cooking and as breakfast and snack food. Grapes, melons, pomegranates, apricots, plums, peaches, apples, pears, figs and persimmons can all be found in the open air bazaars.


The basics: Whole wheat and white flour, yogurt, yeast sugar, salt and water

 Heat water and yogurt, then add to proofed yeast

 My awesome step-dad gave me this lovely old bowl for Christmas ~ xox, Michael

 Finely chop shallots - Every time I cook with them, I wonder why I don't more often

 After dough has risen, gently punch down 

 Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and divide in eight equal pieces

 I used a fork to poke holes in the center, then add shallots, a pinch of salt and a sprinkle of water

 Bake until golden brown...mmm

 Stack of Tajik non joy

Tajik chickpea and onion stew - I used canned chick peas

 I used two large onions and two ripe tomatoes

 Red chilies, coriander, saffron, cumin, paprika and cinnamon ~ heavenly!

 And...another beautiful Christmas bowl, hand made by Terri Hass - potter extraordinaire

Tajik Non (Adapted from Food.com) - *Takes about 3 hours from start to finish*

1/2 cup warm water
1 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon dry yeast
1 cup yogurt , plain
1 cup water
1 tablespoon sea salt
2 cups whole wheat flour
3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
Topping
2 tablespoons shallots , finely chopped
1 teaspoon salt
water , for spritzing
Directions:

1.Place 1/2 cup warm water in a large bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with a bread hook. Stir in sugar, then sprinkle on yeast and stir to dissolve. Set aside.
2.Place yogurt and one cup water in a saucepan, stir to mix, then place over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until lukewarm.
3.Add the yogurt mixture to the yeast and water mixture and stir. Add the whole wheat flour one cup at a time, stirring in one direction only as you add the flour then stir for about one minute in the same direction to activate the gluten. Let this sponge stand, covered, for 10 minutes or for as long as 2 hours.
4.Sprinkle 1 tablespoon salt over the sponge, then stir in unbleached flour one cup at a time until dough is too stiff to stir. Knead using bread hook  for 10 minutes, until the dough becomes smooth and elastic, incorporating more unbleached flour as necessary to prevent dough from sticking.
5.Oil a large bowl, add the dough, cover with plastic wrap, and let rise until doubled in volume, approximately 1 1/2 hours.
6.Position a rack in the top third of your oven. Arrange unglazed quarry tiles on it, leaving a 1-inch gap between tiles and the oven walls (to allow air to circulate). (Alternatively place a baking stone or baking sheets on the rack).
7.Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F. Gently punch down the dough and turn out onto a lightly floured surface and let rest, covered, for 10 minutes.
8.Place shallots and remaining salt beside your work surface, together with a bowl of lukewarm water. Divide dough into 8 equal pieces. Using lightly floured hands, press each piece into a 4-inch round.
9.Work with one round at a time, leaving the others covered at the back of your work surface. Working on a lightly floured surface, roll out to a 6-inch round.
10.With a fork or bread stamp, stamp a 1 1/2-inch diameter circle at the center of the bread thoroughly, to flatten and pierce it (to prevent it from rising). Sprinkle onto the center approximately 1/2 teaspoon chopped shallot, a pinch of salt, and a sprinkle of water.
11.Quickly roll out and prepare one, two, or three more breads (depending on the size of your oven), then transfer prepared breads to the hot tiles, stone, or baking sheets.
12.Begin shaping your next breads as the first batch is baking. Let bake for approximately 7-8 minutes, or until lightly golden.
13.Use a long-handled peel (or spatula) to remove from the oven. Place on a rack to cool, then stack and wrap loosely in a cotton cloth to keep soft and warm. Shape and bake remaining breads in the same way.

Chickpea and Onion Stew (Recipe Adapted from Celtnet)

1 large can (1 pound, 13 ounce) can cooked chickpeas (more if you want a thicker stew)
2 1/2 cup strong vegetable stock
1/3 cup vegetable oil
2 large onions, chopped
2 large, ripe, tomatoes, chopped 1
/2 tsp crushed red chillies
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp saffron ground with 1 tbsp warm water
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon salt, to taste

Heat the oil in a casserole or large pan and use to fry the onions for about 10 minutes, or until golden brown.
Meanwhile, combine the chickpeas and stock in another pan and bring to a boil.
When the onions are ready add the chickpea mix then stir-in all the remaining ingredients.
Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer then cook for 20 minutes. Serve ladled into bowls and accompany with plenty of bread.


© 2010-2011, What's Cooking in Your World? Sarah Commerford/All Rights Reserved

Meaty Cookbooks Part 2 -- Cooking Techniques

Yesterday I shared some new cookbooks that focus on a particular meat such as pork, brisket or goat, in today's installment I'm recommending four more books that are much more general.

One of the most anticipated cookbooks of the year was the Molly Stevens book All About Roasting The book is amazingly comprehensive covering mostly meat--beef, lamb, pork, chicken and poultry but also fish and shellfish, vegetables and fruits. Learn how to choose the best cuts of meat, the basic roasting methods and temperatures, how to carve and more. I love that her recipes also include convection as well as conventional oven temperatures!

Recipes you'll want to try include: Quick deviled rib bones, oven roasted porchetta, one-hour rosemary rib roast, roasted buffalo wings, crispy butterflied roast chicken

Another roast focused cookbook is sure a surefire winner for Francophiles. Rotis, roasts for every day of the week. This charming book follows a certain format, Monday is roast beef, Tuesday is roast veal, Wednesday is roast chicken and game, etc. Each chapter features French and Mediterranean style recipes that generally feel very classic, though some recipes like roast pork with Earl Grey tea feel decidedly modern. While a book about meat, the vegetable sides are equally delectable.

Recipes you'll want to try include: Roast chicken with anchovies and rosemary, roast pork belly with coriander, roast pork loin with endive and orange, lamb shanks with cannellini beans, 4 ideas for stuffing chicken (Boursin cheese? hello!)

Contrary to popular opinion, farm-to-table does not just refer to zucchini. Our own local butcher extraordinaire Ryan Farr has written Whole Beast Butchery which is a visual guide to "breaking down" beef, lamb and pork with recipes as well. If you've ever wanted to take a butchery course, this is the book for you! The tone and style of the book is much like Ryan is in person, friendly, helpful and approachable.

Recipes you'll want to try include: Beef tongue pastrami, pork belly and garbanzo soup, braised lamb shanks with curry (keep in mind, recipes are limited; this is a butchery book, not a cookbook)

If your budget is a little more quesadilla then crown roast, From the Ground Up by award-winning author James Villas is for you. The most versatile of all meat, ground meat, is featured in hundreds of recipes that use beef, chicken, pork, seafood and more. From the humble and economical meat come recipes from around the world ranging from home style sloppy joes to elegant beef tartare sandwiches. Interestingly some of the recipes use raw meat and some leftover cooked meat that is then shredded, chopped or ground.

Recipes you'll want to try include: Mexican duck quesadillas, Tex Mex sloppy joes, Greek minted meatballs, Spanish eggplant stuffed with lamb, Shanghai lion's head

Brussels Sprouts and Miso Dressing Recipe

Add to my list of New Year's resolutions, use more condiments and ingredients lurking in the fridge. My refrigerator is packed with Chinese sauces, jams and jellies, and various sauces and mustards. Sometimes I barely have room for anything else! So I am trying to use the things I probably used once and then forgot about.

First up, miso. I love the salty savory rich flavor of miso, which is a fermented soy bean paste that is like pure umami. You've probably had miso in soup at a Japanese restaurant. I especially like white or shiro miso which also has some sweet buttery notes. I've used it in soup and salad dressings and found that it complements many vegetables. In David Chang's cookbook Momofuku Cooking at Home is a recipe for miso butter sauce which is more like paste, that he was inspired to make after eating miso butter ramen in Japan. He adds a touch of sherry vinegar. In my recipe I make an olive oil based dressing with a touch of buttery white miso. The finished dish tastes much richer than it is.

If you are looking for more ways to use miso, this dressing is a good start. Try using it on other vegetables; I think it would be particularly good on spinach, kale, carrots or cauliflower. You could also use it on salad. Let me know if you have any other tips for using miso!

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Creamy Miso Dressing
Serves 4

Ingredients

1 pound brussels sprouts
1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

2 Tablespoons white miso
2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 Tablespoon water
3/4 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Make dressing by whisking together the miso, olive oil, water, mustard and lemon juice. Taste for seasonings and adjust as you like. The dressing can be kept in the refrigerator for several days, just bring to room temperature and whisk again before serving.

Trim the stem ends of the Brussels sprouts, cut each in half lengthwise, then toss them in a bowl with the olive oil and salt until they are well coated. Transfer sprouts to a roasting pan or rimmed sheet pan (line with tin foil for easier cleaning) and roast for 30 minutes, stirring once or twice so they cook evenly. Brussels sprouts should be beginning to brown on the outside and tender on the inside. Place the sprouts in a serving bowl or platter and drizzle with the dressing.

Enjoy!

Meaty Cookbooks Part 1 -- Specialty Meats

I eat a lot less meat than I used to. But I am buying it mostly from butchers I know and trust, usually from Bryan's in Laurel Village. So when I do cook meat, generally a couple times a week, I want it to be something special. My guess is that I am not alone and perhaps that accounts for the huge boom in meat cookbooks?

For 2012, I hope you buy and cook better quality meat. These cookbooks will certainly help.

The Brisket Bookis subtitled a love story with recipes. It literally had me laughing out loud with it's cartoons, jokes, stories and more. If you are Jewish, Irish, or even a Texan, brisket is your soul food. The book pays homage with recipes, wine pairings, poems, and everything you need to know to make a version that will make you fall in love. This book and a brisket from Snake River Farms would be the best gift EVER.

Recipes to try include: Brisket burger, braised fresh brisket in stout and onions, brisket with ginger, orange peel and tomatoes, basic barbecue brisket, corned beef with parsley sauce

Goatis the first cookbook I've seen dedicated to meat, milk and cheese from that animal. They say leeks were not commonly available in grocery stores until Julia Child starting featuring them on her TV show. Hard to imagine, isn't it? I'm going to venture the same thing about goat. It accounts for 70% of the red meat eaten worldwide; it's sustainable, surprisingly healthy (less fat, cholesterol and calories than chicken, beef, pork or lamb) and is growing in popularity. I know, you probably can't find it in your local grocery store yet, but soon perhaps... Meanwhile this book will introduce you to farms, teach you new recipes, and entertain you with funny stories and anecdotes.

Recipes to try include: Goat cheese quesadillas, wheat germ banana muffins, braised meatballs with artichoke and fennel, goat mole (negro, rojo and verde versions) one of several goat curries

The latest in a long line of porcine cookbooks,The Whole Hog Cookbook covers chops, loin, shoulder, bacon, spareribs and yes, offal. Libbie Summers is the granddaughter of a pig farmer, she's a chef, food stylist, and knows how to butcher a pig. It's amazing how glamorous she looks posing with pigs! What's not surprising is how appetizing her recipes look. The only bone to pick that I have with this book is the recommendation to use Smithfield products. I am dismayed at their abysmal treatment of workers, animals and the environment and would never buy, let alone suggest their brand. This does not change the fact that the recipes and the book, are quite wonderful. Just please, use pork that comes from the best sources whenever possible.

Recipes to try include: Rosemary bacon scones, sweet apple scrapple, Lula Mae's cola-braised pork shoulder, hog-tied and hungry chili, West African pork stew

Granola Berry Parfait Recipe

I can eat the same thing for breakfast day after day. Then suddenly I'm on to something else. At the moment, my breakfast of choice is a granola parfait. I bought parfait glasses for ice cream, but use them for breakfast and fruit salad more frequently. I also got those skinny spoons you need to fit down into the bottom of the glass! This is hardly a recipe, more of a technique. But anything that can help "cereal" sound more exciting is worth doing. The trick to making a good parfait is to layer the ingredients nicely. Start with the yogurt on the bottom because anything else is too hard to get at with your spoon.

I've been using Driscoll's organic berries, Greek yogurt and The Bunnery granola. I recently got some samples of the granola and I really like it. I make my own granola but you have to eat it when it's fresh so I don't always have it on hand. The Bunnery original granola has relatively few ingredients just oats, honey, sunflower seeds, coconut, canola oil, sesame seeds, water, almonds, salt, cinnamon, and cloves. It's light and crunchy and not too clumpy which is best for parfaits.

You can make parfaits with just yogurt and fruit if you like. Or of course, you can also make parfaits with ice cream and fruit or sauces. But I think this is the best way to put a sexy spin on cereal. It's pretty, healthy and easy to make.

Berry Granola Parfaits
Mixed berries, such as blackberries, raspberries, blueberries
Yogurt, plain or flavored, regular or Greek
Granola

Layer a spoonful of yogurt into the bottom of the parfait glass and top with a layer of granola. Just a little! You want to make sure you leave enough room for multiple layers. Top the granola with one layer of berries. Repeat and end with a dollop of yogurt and a berry on top.

Enjoy!

Chantilly Potatoes

When I was growing up, there was one dish that I demanded my mom to make for the holidays.  That dish was called Chantilly Potatoes.  It is a wonderfully decadent casserole of mashed potatoes, topped with a layer Chantilly cream, and finally, a layer of cheddar and parmesan cheeses.  Digging into it was such a treat.  I have updated that dish with some tips from this year’s Thanksgiving edition of Bon Appetit.  The article had some great ideas for creating some truly flavorful mashed potatoes.  I particularly liked their recommendation of heating the milk with aromatics.  It gives the potatoes a wonderful flavor. 

Ingredients

5 lb Yukon gold potatoes

1 cup whole milk

½ cup heavy cream

2 garlic cloves, peeled

8 black peppercorns

2 bay leaves

1 sprig thyme

4 tablespoons butter, room temperature

.66 ounce container of chives, chopped

2 ½ cups whipping cream

2 cups shredded extra-sharp cheddar cheese

¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

Heat oven to 375.  I like using Yukon gold for mashed potatoes because I can get away with not peeling the potatoes. Dice the potatoes and place in a large pot filled halfway with cold water.  Add 3 tablespoons kosher salt.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until the potatoes are tender.  Meanwhile, gently heat the milk, cream, garlic, peppercorns, bay leaves, and sprig of thyme in a small saucepan over medium heat.  Don’t let the mixture boil.  Once the mixture is very hot, take off heat and let the aromatics infuse the milk for 20 minutes.  Strain out the aromatics using a slotted spoon.  Mash the cooked potatoes with the butter and infused milk.  Stir in chopped chives.  Grease an 8 x 8 baking pan and a 9 x 13 pan.  Spread the mashed potatoes evenly into the prepared pans.  Whip the 2 ½ cups cream using an electric mixer.  Spread the whipped cream over the potatoes, and top with the cheddar and parmesan cheeses.  Bake for 45 minutes, or until the top gets a nice golden brown color.