McCormick highlights global cuisine, bold seasonings in its 2018 Flavor Forecast
McCormick & Co. has unveiled its annual McCormick Flavor Forecast, revealing the trends that will shape culinary innovation—in home kitchens, at restaurants, and on retail shelves—in the years to come.
McCormick & Co. has unveiled its annual McCormick Flavor Forecast, revealing the trends that will shape culinary innovation—in home kitchens, at restaurants, and on retail shelves—in the years to come. This year’s Flavor Forecast highlights the casual, adventurous, and interactive nature of how people are eating across the globe today. Dive into street food flavor fusion with a gyro-taco hybrid, or take a bite of East Africa with spicy Tanzanian BBQ skewers and tomato onion sauce.
“For 2018, look to new eating experiences that invite sharing, are globally inspired, and pack a flavorful punch,” said Kevan Vetter, executive chef at McCormick. “A steamy pot of spiced broth is the centerpiece of an Asian hot pot cooking party. Meat, seafood, and veggies are offered for dunking, then scooped out and topped with various sauces and fresh garnishes. Change up the ingredients to make it a Mexican or West Indies hot pot next time.”
Identified by a global team of McCormick chefs, food technologists, and flavor experts, these trends offer a taste of 2018 and beyond:
- Handheld Flavor Fusion: Take to the streets for the latest fusing of global cuisines. Carts, trucks, and food halls are merging high-flavor fillings with unique crepes, buns, and breads for loaded street fare you eat with your hands. Arepas are a taco-sandwich hybrid made from crispy corn cakes stuffed with sliced meat, veggies, and spicy tzatziki sauce.
- A Bite of East Africa: East African cuisine is a treasure trove of flavor. The signature seasonings, BBQ marinades, and sauces of Tanzania and Ethiopia are being explored across the globe. Ethiopia’s most popular seasoning—berbere—contains an array of spices like paprika, allspice, coriander, cardamom, ginger, cinnamon, and red pepper.
- Japanese Izakaya Eats: Sushi isn’t the only bite-sized food Japan has to offer. Izakayas—Japanese gastropubs—serve up casual tasting plates, similar to Spanish tapas. Featuring bold glazes, seaweed seasonings, and tangy dipping sauces, these dishes are an explosion of flavor. In Japan, furikake—a coarse mixture of seaweed, sesame, dried seafood, sugar, and salt—is sprinkled on everything from rice and noodles to veggies and seafood.
- Drink to Your Wellness: Breakfast boosts, snacking soups, and end-of-day sips feature robust flavors and uplifting ingredients like cucumber, dandelion greens, ginger, turmeric, and cayenne pepper.
- Globetrot with Hot Pot: Throw an Asian hot pot party and leave the cooking to your guests. Gather friends around a steamy pot of deeply flavored broth. Offer meat, seafood, and veggies for dunking, then finish with various toppings for a new DIY meal. This East Asian favorite can be easily changed up to go Mexican, Caribbean, and more.