Culinology - December 2020 - 10

E M E RGI NG trends

Four flavor themes stand out
in McCormick forecast
Smoked cinnamon, chilies and chia seeds all may factor into future
flavor innovation, according to the McCormick Flavor Solutions' annual
Flavor Forecast. The forecast focused on four themes: sweet and
seasonal satisfaction, spicy revolution, global finds and empowered
eating and drinking.
McCormick Flavor Solutions, a business segment of Hunt Valleybased McCormick & Co., titled the forecast " Looking back to look
forward " as 2020 marked the 20th anniversary of the annual report.
Several flavors, including pumpkin pie spice, chamoy and turmeric,
were mentioned this year after appearing in previous forecasts.
The theme of sweet and seasonal satisfaction will bring more
blurred boundaries and the fusion of sweet with flavors ranging from
heat to savory. Impacted applications may be desserts, baked foods,
cereals and beverages. Combinations could be smoked cinnamon
and cardamom, pumpkin pie spice and coconut milk, and ancho chili
pepper and hibiscus.
The spicy revolution theme could bring growth to multi-dimensional
heat trends like chilies obsession, heat plus tang and sweet on
pepper. Expect creative pairings of heat to appear in cocktails, baked
foods and marinades. Aji amarillo, guajillo, Tien Tsin and chili de arbol
are chilies to watch as they offer a unique level of heat and a distinctive
flavor. Chamoy sauce from Mexico and sambal sauce from Southeast
Asia could combine to offer heat plus tang. Sweet ingredients like
syrups and exotic fruit may temper pepper's bite.
Demand for global flavors will spark the third trend. Stuck at home
and facing travel restrictions that are unpredictable, people will seek
both global dishes in traditional form and more approachable fusions
of flavor. One example is dukkah, which is a mix of toasted nuts and
seeds from North Africa that may be salty, sweet or spicy. Dukkah
pairs well with olive-oil dipped pita bread, vegetables and meat.
Dukkah made the forecast in 2013 in a trend called " empowered
eating. "
Other flavors from around the globe making the forecast this
year are Brazilian tempero baiano seasoning, Mexican recados,
Japanese izakaya, Filipino pinoy BBQ and Indian Kashmiri. Eastern
Mediterranean ingredients, meanwhile, may match up with Western
European flavors and feature ingredients like barberries and baharat
seasoning.
Empowered eating and drinking refers to how people do not need
to compromise on flavor when meeting nutritional needs. Ingredients
like matcha, chia seeds, turmeric and flaxseed may bring versatility
to meals, drinks and snacks. Vegetables like mushrooms, tomatoes
and sweet potatoes are appearing more often in snacks, desserts,
beverages and dips. Pigeon peas, cranberry beans and black beluga
lentils also are part of this theme.

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Culinolog y | DECEMBER 2020

Chilies to watch include aji amarillo (top),
guajillo (middle) and chili de arbol (bottom).

Culinology - December 2020

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Culinology - December 2020