The new "it" food / drink

[BostonNooch]

What do you think the new "it" food / drink / cullinary idea is? We had the Apple Martini, the secret (and not so secret) lounges and Mexican chocolate, to name a few.

Coconut Milk? Ox Tail? foie gras? Smoked salt?

[Kinnexa]

I never discover the "it" food until it's passe...& that's fine with me. What am I getting weary of? Foams, yes; chipotle anything; pomegranate; super-light "beers". Spare me the arugula and microgreens, especially at the top of a teetering tower of tidbits. And (fill in the blank)-tini, oh my gawd!!

[steakman55]

Huckleberry foam??

[Louise]

With fleur de sel gel.

[Soop]

Hey I tell you what, supposedly Mexican food is a big deal in the UK now, and sales of beans have about doubled over last year. People are attributing it to the credit crunch, but I have to say I'm disappointed. I don't want to run with the crowd!

*edit* on the plus side though, maybe masa and tortilla presses will become prevelant

[Passadumkeg]

Even here in Maine the "whitest" state in the union, Mexican food supplies are just becoming more common. It my surprise you that I have to drive 3 hours at 140 kph to get Mexican and Asian cooking supplies and good restaurants. Portland, chow city.

[Kinnexa]

Yeah, Portland has a pretty impressive supply of Asian markets, seeing as it's still a part of lily-white Maine. Come to Lewiston some time and sample the Somali groceries! What an unexpected place to find culinary diversity.

[Passadumkeg]

I've been to a somali restaurant and to simome's for red snappersin Lewiston. Upscale too at the Bates cafeteria. Used to go cagin dancin' too.

[Passadumkeg]

Frog legs. Easily raised anywhere. Will appeal to the locovore, renewable resource crowd.
Sorry Kermit,
Ribbit

[lcool]

Except in many areas of Asia at this time they are pillaging the "wild"frogs.IT IS cheaper to raise them.However old customs don't go down easy.Some efforts are being made to change things.

[danhole]

What is up with all the "gourmet" mac and cheese dishes out there? Served with lobster, tossed in truffle cream, covered in tomato sauce, served with shaved truffles, blended with 5-6 fancy cheeses, and so many more. The you have the fast food version with deep fried Mac & Cheese. Egads!

Also, truffles on everything, or infused with, or drizzled with truffle oil. There is one place in town that has a chicken fried ribeye steak with truffle scented cream gravy. Only in Texas!

[Soop]

I made "gourmet mac and cheese" the first time I made it. I think it was the chow competition for recipes last year. I just got good ingredients though. Been meaning to make it recently

[danhole]

I remember watching Patti LaBelle make Mac & Cheese on Oprah a few years back. She used all types of cheese and that looked seriously good, fattening but very good. What I'm talking about is all these restaurant are naming the cheeses, so it will say something like Made with xxx pasta blended with white cheddar cheese from the xxx farm in xxxx, tx, along with a gruyere from xxx dairy out of xxx, and on and on. I just didn't think Mac and cheese was such a big hit, but I guess I am just out of the loop on this one.

[huaqiao]

Is cumin lamb already passe? Or maybe it's just a LA thing.

[condiment]

If it were passe, it wouldn't be on the menu of every new Chinese restaurant in the SGV. Including the Cantonese ones.

[alkapal]

can i make one up?

club sandwiches with garam-masla spiced lamb bacon, gigantic greens (micro greens on steroids) and tomatillo, with ginger-coriander aioli?

[amyzan]

with hand carved, locally sourced wood toothpicks holding it all together!

[alkapal]

lol, from a sustainable-growth forest!

[cayjohan]

Toast.

It's amazing what you can do with a base of toasted bread. Leftovers? Stack them on. Goofy spreads...put them on toast. Pile up some toney veggies and call them canapes, or just indulge in the spread-on-toast.

I wake up hungry. Really hungry. So I have toast. In the past week I have had:

Boiled ham on toast
Boiled ham over a schmear of sour cream on toast.
Gravlax on toast (okay...a little toney, but I always make my own)
Shredded daikon over sour cream...yep, on toast
And: Catsup schmeared on toast. Juvenile? Yes. But delicious. (Plus, it was a *little* schmear...)

Smiles,
Cay

[Gio]

Awwwww..... you can't fool me, Cay. You're having Crostini and calling it toast. LOL

[Soop]

Isn't it still pomegranite in the states?

[KTinNYC]

That was about 2 years ago.

[Soop]

Even with the Internet, England is still 2 years behind. I'm going to get some mexican chocolate and an apple martini. Because I'm so cutting edge :)

[KTinNYC]

England is catching up fast. It was about 3-4 years between my last 2 trips to England and the women went from being pleasantly round and mostly brunettes to aggressively fit and blond. I blame Sienna Miller.

[linguafood]

Interesting. I went to England last year, and I all I saw was blubbery, pasty muffin-topped 17-yr. olds wearing mid-riff baring shirts and micro-skirts. Shudder. Blame the provenance of fast-food & candy.

[KTinNYC]

I life we sometimes get what we deserve ; )

[marielee]

I love Maggie Beer's Vanilla and Elderflower icecream but I'd have no idea what the new it food/drink/cullinary idea would be. I live in regional Australia and were a bit behind it all in my neck of the woods. I don't think pork belly would ever make it onto a menu here and as for specialty salts - sea salt is viewed as exotic and fancy.

[soypower]

I'm hoping short ribs go out of style soon...the price to make kalbi for our church get-togethers has become outrageous! and since it's a korean congregation, kalbi is pretty much mandatory.

[kobetobiko]

One article in NYM said lamb bacon is the next pork belly.

[amyzan]

Now, that sounds good! What date was the article, if you recall?

[monavano]

According to the Washingtonian:
http://www.washingtonian.com/blogarti...

[billieboy]

They list as "in" Bartender Worship. Does that mean the pretentious Mixologist is out? Cripes I hope so.

[Gigi007]

LOL, billieboy. I'm with you on that one.

[billieboy]

According to this article...squirrel meat

http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyl...

[KaimukiMan]

aren't scavengers rather prone to trichinosis?

[alanbarnes]

Squirrels aren't scavengers, they're vegetarian. And tasty.

[Passadumkeg]

Except for the brains.
Mr Kreutzfeld

[alanbarnes]

Thanks, Jacob.

[vvvindaloo]

my observations:
organ meats, especially hearts and livers
"alternative" meatballs, such as those made from duck, turkey and venison
polenta, many ways, including fried
giant beans
pigeon
"casual/homestyle" pork dishes, such as pork roast, Southern Italian "braciole", Roman-style porchetta and salumi/charcuterie platters
big leafy salads/side dishes- cabbage, kale, collard greens, bok choy, chinese broccoli, fennel (with fronds), chard
anything smoked

meringue desserts
blood orange (again)
cupcakes (still)
parfait (still)

modern twists on classic cocktails, such as the Manhattan
champagne cocktails
local and gourmet beers

what I see less of recently:

exotic fish entrees, rice-based dishes or sides, tropical fruit, whipped vegetables, red wine reduction, baked potatoes, fancy vodka-based drinks (and expensive "designer" vodkas), whipped cream, anything steamed.

[Boccone Dolce]

The phrase "alternative meatballs" may just haunt me now, thanks VVV

[vvvindaloo]

>chuckle< you're welcome.

[dinaofdoom]

oh man, i really like almost everything you listed.
i feel so douchey now!

[vvvindaloo]

hey nothing wrong with that- you're in luck!

[KaimukiMan]

Appletini? you are kidding right. they still make those?

Offal dishes? none for me thanks - yes, I've tried. Yuck. Yes, even Pate.

I think it will be the reappearance of skin and bones in chicken dishes.

[lcool]

only thing missed in my opinion FENNEL POLLEN ,time for it to go

[condiment]

Why? It's the wonder seasoning. Nothing, I mean nothing, does as much for pork as fennel pollen, and it's finally, after years, becoming relatively easy to source.

[lcool]

It must depend on the pig.All of our pork is forest raised.Without need of any contrived flavors to compensate for tasteless white meat.

[ipsedixit]

An ode to the recessionary times ... the new "it" drink? Tap water.

[cimui]

cocoa nibs in random, savory dishes (usually to ill effect, IMHO)

mussels, supposedly -- according to some nymag article, i think

man, i *hope* chicken liver gets its day in the sun!

[PattiCakes]

Did you see one of the back-from-the-past Top Chef's do a chicken liver dish on the Superbowl challenge?

[cimui]

i didn't, patticakes, but i'm looking forward to watching it on youtube. thanks for the heads up!

just noticed that it's now on the menu at eleven madison park, one of the schmancier restaurants in nyc, as part of the lyonnaise salad

[KTinNYC]

The SuperBowl Top Chef is currently up on Hulu.com in full.

[cimui]

thanks for the heads up!! just watched it. nicki from nyc's liver over challah toast was it? that looked delicious to me. i found jamie's knee-jerk, anti-chicken liver reaction pretty interesting -- but ah well! the crowd seemed to like nicki's dish.

[KTinNYC]

Glad I could save you from having to youtube the whole thing. I'm hoping for the Riepert episode soon.

[kpaumer]

Cimui,

Be careful what you wish for, right now chicken livers are cheap, wait until they get "discovered"! Remember what happened to chicken wings:-)

[Miss Needle]

Highly concur. Sigh -- remember when oxtails used to be cheap.

[kpaumer]

Yeah, you couldn't give em away! Oxtail Stew, Wonderful Stuff!

[cimui]

good point, kpaumer.

ok, everyone, chicken livers are gross! don't anyone buy 'em. pass it on.

[Sam Fujisaka]

Jim Beam on the rocks, bass roe, Chef Boy - R - Dee ravioli, gas station corn dogs, sauerkraut, Jimmy Dean pork sausage (cracker Spam, after all), BBQ chicken feet, lung, venison, mondongo, squirrel, Fumunda cheese, chicken gizzards, tilapia fillets, cheap good wine, oyakudomburi, and inarizushi.

Obviously, just suggesting that the world come around to my twisted view. Me having anything to do with the new "it" is like putting an escalator in an outhouse.

[cayjohan]

I can't believe you cited Fumunda cheese. :-) Cay

[Sam Fujisaka]

You wouldn't believe how juvenile I am.

[cayjohan]

Yep, I can, since I am floating in that same boat.

See also "toast" further down.

Cay

[thew]

korean food

[piccola]

I wish!

[thew]

it's recently exploded in new york

[piccola]

Not yet in Toronto, though it has a small but loyal following among non-Koreans.

[Passadumkeg]

I wish Korean food would more quickly move north.

[finlero]

Just one hound's perception, but...

On the way out:

Pomegranate
[Insert item/concept here] prepared three ways

Going strong:

Charcuterie plates
Small plates
Locavore/green eating
House-infused spirits

On the rise:

Elderflower, especially in cocktails
Burrata
(and weirdly,) Chicken liver

[Miss Needle]

"Elderflower, especially in cocktails"

Good! Perhaps I can now get elderflower champagne cocktails at most bars now. I love that stuff!

With the recession, I would say offal will become more common. And I think we may see some Peruvian-influenced restaurants and David Chang copy-cats.

[BostonNooch]

What about those favorite kids snacks...Tater Tots. I just saw something (chronicle perhaps) on fancy tots made with sweet potatos served with a creamy sauce.

I dont know if I could ever get over my love for th tots from the bag with ketchup.

Where can you find these Elderflower cocktails? Or Elderflower for that matter in food?

[Miss Needle]

Oh, I can see Tater Tots becoming trendy. Potatoes are so neutral that it can be done in so many ways. Hmmmm.... I wouldn't mind seeing a tater tot poutine in the future.

I've had elderflower cocktails at a limited number of places. I've definitely had them at Wallse and Danube in NYC (Austrian restaurants). I know I've had them at a couple of other places but just can't recall. I generally order it when I see it on the menu as elderflower syrup isn't very common, and I feel kind of pretentious ordering it when I don't see it printed. But if elderflower is getting more trendy, perhaps I won't feel like such a douchebag asking for it in bars. I've also made elderflower cocktails at home with champagne and elderflower syrup. I'm such a freak about them that I served them as my signature cocktail at my wedding.

[Ori]

Oh, have you tried the St. Germain elderflower liquor? It is absolutely amazing. The marketers are really pushing it in bars, and you can find it increasingly in liquor stores as well.

[condiment]

It is precisely the ubiquity of the St Germain liqueur that is making elderflower the flavor of the week. The self-described cocktalians are sticking it in everything.

[Miss Needle]

No, but it sounds really interesting. Thanks for bringing it to my attention!

[linguafood]

They are so great as an aperitif!!! I've only so far had them in Germany, tho.

[capeanne]

With your name I assume you are a Baystate local..the Parisian Orchid at Green St has elderflower and is pretty damn tasty. Also Scott at Rendezvous does a cocktail ( but don't remember the name ) that is wonderful...dunno re food but I wouldn't want elderflower with my Tater Tots

[finlero]

Green Street is terrific. They have a number of other drinks that employ St. Germain as well (maybe the bohemian?).

Other Cambridge choices: Chez Henri, Blue Room.

A few Boston choices: No 9 Park, Drink.

[emmie]

They have St. Germain at Tremont 647. Coincidentally, they also have gourmet tater tots.

[lucygoosey]

If you have a Cost Plus Market they have elderflower drink/soda that makes for fabulous at home cocktails. Elderflower syrup at a specialty/gourmet store, esp. one that specializes in app/party stuff. Now that I think of it maybe even bevmo.

[Jacey]

Tater tots are becoming more popular at gourmet/swanky "comfort food" restaurants in my area. One place gives you a bucket'o'tots.

[PattiCakes]

Then there are the Duggars (the family with 18 kids featured on whatever channel on TV), and their famous Tater Tot Casserole. http://www.duggarfamily.com/recipes.html

I wonder if the economy will bring back those old Bisquick & Campbell soup type recipies?

[cimui]

I could absolutely see Bobby Flay putting tater tot hotdish on his menu at Bar Americain.

[alwayscooking]

House/home made Tater Tots are out in NYC (sooo last year dahin . . . ) but sooo good.

[Miss Needle]

And I also think artisanal pizza places will be more common.

[Suze123]

Locavore anything (is that already played out?)
The move towards smaller plates/portions and more courses (a la a Tasting Menu)

[BostonNooch]

Suze123 - I am also starting to see a lot of "family style" dinners being offered. That and boston.com (read by masses) just featured soups around town...now thats economical!

The economy is predicting where we go perhaps....

[Suze123]

I love going to a restaurant and ordering 2 appetizers (or a few to share with others) rather than an app, entree, dessert... often tasiter and more economical!

[hiddenboston]

Anything that I'm not a part of. :-D

[Louise]

Already past:

huckleberries
microgreens
specialty salts (smoked, Hawaiian, fleur de sel)
pork belly
<whatever>-tini
underground dining
speakeasies
foams

[tzurriz]

I dreamt of huckleberries last night. never had one though. guess I'm behind the times. :D

[tracylee]

I never realized huckleberries were a trend. My grandmother picked them every year for the last 60 years or so until she was no longer able to get up in the hills.

[Passadumkeg]

I grew up in the mountains of Pennsylvania picking huckleberries.

[PattiCakes]

Passadumkeg: we've discussed common origins before.

I remember vacationing in the Poconos with my kids & going berry picking every day. I thought we were picking a very small variety of blueberry, but turns out they were indeed huckleberries. We have muffins, pancakes, sweet bread.... The kids, now grown, still talk about it.

[tracylee]

Grandma was born and raised in Western PA, now lives in NE Washington - tons of huckleberries there. We used to pick them with her as kids.

[irishnyc]

Amen to foams. If I never see one again it'll be too soon.

[condiment]

Some of those are just making it into the mainstream. I have thine feeling that it is about five minutes before foam, pork belly and microgreens make it onto the menu at Cheesecake Factory.

[AHan]

If I knew, I would be sure to avoid it.