2014 Flavor & Food Forecast

Its that time of the year again when all of the food companies release their flavor and food forecasts. My favorite is from Adams® Extract & Spice, makers of the world famous Adams Best® “Since 1888”. 

Following, are eight flavor and food trends that Adams® suggest you watch for in the coming year.

 “Licking the Spoon”

Baking has made its way back to the kitchen! But, many of today's home bakers are looking for a balance between 100% scratch made and straight out of the box one step mixes. Baking kits, will find their way into the market, which will allow the consumer to be more involved, learn and understand the art of baking, and bring the love back to the kitchen, while being both budget and time friendly.

“BBQ 101”

Consumers are showing an interest in learning the art of traditional BBQing and techniques! The backyard BBQ will no longer mean just hamburgers, chicken, and steak. Backyard BBQers are learning the importance of meat preparation, basic rubs, and cooking low and slow over local hardwoods...cooking pulled pork, baby back ribs, and Texas-style brisket.

“Urban Canning”

A twist on classic canning, cold canning uses garden or organic vegetables from local farm to markets or grocers and is easy and fresh! With just a few ingredients, spices, a can, and a refrigerator, consumers can make their own flavored and pickled farm- to- table fresh vegetables in a snap.

"Birthday Everyday”

The trendiest flavor hitting the shelves is Birthday Cake! This indelible flavor brings us back to fond memories of our special day. Now reaching beyond the baked cake, you'll find the flavor in candy, yogurt, ice cream, cookies and more. Our taste buds can't get enough of that magical moment when vanilla, sugar, and butter meet.

"Food Brands you Trust”

Informed consumers are demanding that their foods are safe and of high quality! There will be an increased reliance on food brands that they know and trust to deliver safe and high quality products.

“Lemon Love”

Lemons are a traditional way to brighten foods! From the sweeter and less acidic Meyer to the plump Italian Sorrento, their flavor can enhance almost anything. BBQ & finishing sauces, salads, candies, yogurts, and desserts are a few ways we'll see an increased use of lemon flavor.

"Wedging its Way Back to the Table”

Move over bagged salads...the classic Iceberg Wedge is back! Served chilled with thick traditional homemade dressing, warm bacon, diced onion, and fresh ground pepper. Just one more delicious way to embrace farm- to- table style meals.

“Traditional Baking Flavors”

Dessert lovers are longing for traditional nostalgic flavors! Once, more commonly found in recipes over 60 years ago, flavors such as Butternut Vanilla, Black Walnut, Brandy, Peach, Root beer and Butter Pecan are finding a resurgence in today's desserts.

Adams® is constantly monitoring consumer research and data to gain insights on the newest flavor and food trends. Development of the the Adams® Flavor and Food Forecast involves a continuous process of cultivating insights from industry syndicated sales data, Adams®product sales mix changes, industrial ingredients, food service, and food retailing trends, internet search data and collaboration with chefs, food scientists and product development experts.

Take a Stand...Ban the Can! Start Grinding your own Pepper Today !!

Pepper is the indisputable “King of Spice”. Once used as currency for Kings and one of the most valuable riches traded in the early Global economy, is today one of the most universally used food commodities in the world.

Virtually every home in the world has Fresh Pepper in its kitchen...except the United States! Chances are YOU don't have Fresh Pepper in your spice cabinet... get up and go look for yourself. If your Pepper comes in a Tin Can, you and your family are missing out ! Join me and take a stand...Ban the Can!

To better understand what you are using in place of fresh Black Pepper, you need to know a little bit about this amazing spice.

History
Native to India, Pepper has played a very important role throughout history and has been a prized spice since ancient times. The ancient Greece held Pepper in such high prestige that it was not only used as a seasoning but as currency and as a sacred offering. Pepper was used in ceremonies to honer there gods and used to pay their taxes. In fact, during the Middle Ages a families wealth was often measured by their stash of Peppercorns.

Pepper served as an important culinary component to food not only because of its ability to spice up bland foods, but because of its ability to mask a food's lack of freshness.

Worldwide, Pepper became such an important spice that became the center of much of the global spice trade. It not only led to exploration of many undiscovered lands in search for trade routes and plants, including the Americas, but also to the development of major merchant cities in Europe and the Middle East.

Today, the major commercial producers of Pepper are Indonesia, Vietnam, India and Brazil.

Understanding Pepper
Black pepper comes from the berries of the Pepper plant. Black Pepper, Green Pepper and White Pepper are actually the same fruit (Piper nigrum); the difference in their color depend on the stages of development and processing methods. The Pepper plant is a smooth woody vine that can grow up to 33 feet in hot and humid tropical climates. They begin to bear small white clustered flowers after 3 to 4 years and develop into berries known as Peppercorns.

Black Peppercorns are made by picking the Pepper berries when they are half ripe and just about to turn red. They are then left to dry which causes them to shrivel and become dark in color. Alternatively, Green Peppercorns are picked while still unripe and green in color, while White Peppercorns are picked when very ripe and subsequently soaked in brine to remove their dark outer shell leaving just the white Pepper seed. Pink Peppercorns are actually from a completely different plant species (Schinus molle) that is related to ragweed.

Black Pepper is the most pungent and flavorful of all types of Peppers and is the most commonly used Pepper in the U.S. It is available as whole or cracked Peppercorns or ground into powder....and this is where things go terribly wrong.

Most of the importers of Pepper in America choose to have their pepper sorted and ground in the country it was grown, in order to cut cost, and to maximize its yield. Many times, the first “Crack” of the Peppercorn is used to provide the valuable table grinds and specifications used by the food service industry, industrial and the culinary markets. The remaining particles that fall through the sifter after this first crack are then reground into a fine powder and packaged into tins, or shipped in bulk to America to be placed in tins. The result is an almost tasteless Pepper powder that has lost all of its volatile oils and flavor.

Think about it..have you ever been to a restaurant and had the waiter ask you if you wanted Pepper on your salad only to product a tin can of powdered Pepper? Have you ever seen any of the Chefs on the cable food shows shaking a can of powder on their “culinary creation”? Of course not. So why do you?

So...starting today, "Ban the Can"! Invest in a good Pepper grinder and go to your fine Grocery Store and buy a bottle or bag of Whole Peppercorn or Course Ground Black Pepper. If you have to buy Ground Pepper , make sure that you  can see Pepper particulates and that is not pulvulrized powder.  

Once you have enjoyed the flavor of fresh Ground Pepper , you will never “Shake the Can” again.

Enjoy!

Eat a Steak...and keep healthy !

It's a fact, dieting rarely works. No one knows that more than I do. Over the years, I have tried just about every diet fade that has come around, and non of them has stuck with me. Every time, I end up frustrated and unsatisfied with the food I have to eat. I always end up asking my wife, “How come I can't eat an occasional steak?”

The fact is, most people can.

If you are not on a strict low fat or no sodium diet, it is easy to prepare and season an occasional 8 oz steak and love every bite. Here are a few tips that I use:

• Use you favorite steak seasoning ..that right ..You heard me! The fact is most of all the store bought steak seasonings on the market have about 40%-50% salt per teaspoon. I have done some kitchen test and have found that you can season two 8 oz Strip Steaks, or one pound of Sirloin easily with only one teaspoon of store bought Steak Seasoning. This translates to about ¼ of a teaspoon of Salt per 8 oz serving of steak...far below the recommended one teaspoon of salt maximum recommended for daily consumption. (see my earlier Blog on “Have you had your three teaspoons of salt today?”)
• Try adding reduced Balsamic or reduced Red Port Wine for added flavor. Yum...If you have never had one of these added to a steak, you have to give it a try. Its easy to do yourself , or you can buy a nice reduction at your local grocery store in the culinary spice section. I use a red port wine reduction that I get at my local store and found on line at www.adamsextract.com .
• Cut back your Steak Seasoning a little bit more and add more onion & garlic powder and black pepper. These three spices are generally the next three primary ingredients in a store bought steak seasoning after Salt and is the secret flavor of a good steak.
• Make your own seasoning blend without salt and then control the salt you add to meet your personal requirements . Here is an excellent version of a popular Canadian Style steak seasoning :
• 1 tablespoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoon onion powder
• 1/2 tablespoon dried thyme
• 1/2 tablespoon dried rosemary
• 1/2 tablespoon fennel
• 1/2 tablespoon garlic powder
• 1/2 tablespoon crushed red pepper
• Add salt to taste

So what's stopping you ? Go pick out a nice steak for this weekend, make a fresh salad, saute some mushrooms and onions, eat healthy and enjoy life!

Basil- A Tomatoes Best Friend!

I live in the South, and one of the many joys of summer is fresh tomatoes. Some of my earliest memories are of my Grandmother harvesting a tomato crop so large that we ate them at every meal. She still had enough left over at the end of summer to can as stewed tomatoes or use in her incredible vegetable soup to last all winter.

I remember that even as delicious as they were fresh, everyone still passed the salt shaker around to make them taste even better. Salt, as it turns out, intensifies the taste of a Tomato, something my pallet had become accustom to.  

As I began to learn to live without my “three teaspoon of salt a day” (see last posting)  I looked at the foods I used the most salt on...and anything with tomatoes quickly became my focus.  I tried going cold turkey, and just use pepper, but I could not get satisfied, until I discovered  Basil...A Tomatoes Best Friend!   

It didn't take me long to learn that using a little basil ,olive oil and pepper in or on anything with tomatoes taste fantastic , all without adding any salt.  Here are a few ideas that I use: 

• An hour before dinner, cut your tomatoes and marinate them in a small dish with Olive Oil, Balsamic , Basil and a dash of pepper, then mix them into your salad  or eat by themselves. 

• Slice tomatoes and fresh mozzarella  and layer each other with Fresh basil [or sprinkle a good Sweet Basil] and drizzle with Olive Oil , Balsamic and a dash of Pepper  for a wonderful Caprese Salad.   

• Have you tried making Bruschetta? Its easy. Dice Tomatoes, and mix with fresh garlic, basil olive oil and balsamic to make this fantastic appetizer. Just toast sliced baguette French bread top with the Brushetta mix and top with grated parm cheese.

Just experiment and you will find hundreds of uses for basil and you will soon learn why it is one of the most popular herbs in the world. 

Remember...The more seasonings, herbs and spices you use in you meals, chances are the healthier you will be eating. 

SpiceMan

Have you eaten your three Teaspoons of salt today ?

Sound crazy right?  Well...the fact is, most Americans consume 3 times what the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences say the average adult needs.  They suggest the average adult needs no more than 2,300 mg , or about 1 Teaspoon,  of sodium  daily to regulate the balance of fluids in the body.

The Mayo Clinic says we take in about 77 percent of our daily sodium from packaged and processed foods, compared to  only 5 percent added while cooking, 6 percent added while eating and 12 percent from natural sources! 

So, If you need to lower your salt intake, more than half  of your  battle is won by not eating prepared or packaged foods. The rest can be accomplished by preparing  and eating fresh foods and season them with natural herbs , spices , oils and juices. 

Here are a few tricks I use to reduce my salt intake. 

Kosher Sea Salt- Because Kosher Sea Salt has so much flavor , you can get by with just a small amount and  stay way below your limits. 

Empty your Salt Shaker -  Replace with an equal blend of Onion Powder, Garlic Powder and Kosher Sea Salt.  Use in place of salt for cooking and at the table. 

Herbs de Provence - Mix with Olive Oil and pepper on sliced or wedged potato. Trust me, you will never want a salty french fry again!     

Olive Oil , Garlic & Pepper - Use these three simple ingredients to season meats. You will surprised how  flavorful  this trinity will make Steaks, Chicken or Chops.   

Basil ,Olive Oil, Balsamic Vinegar & Pepper -  Blend together as a dressing, or  layer it over tomatoes . 

Truffle Salt- Expensive , but you can not make asparagus  mashed potatoes taste better. The trick here is that because of the strong flavor of Truffle, you use very little. I found a well priced one on adamsextract.com 

Lemon Juice-  Part of the flavor effect of salt is that it brings out the natural flavor of most foods. Try adding lemon juice to your vegetables , fish and seafood. 

These are just a few ideas, experiment and you will come up with many more. 

So remember , Chances are  the more Herbs & Spices you use in your food, the healthier you will be eating. 

Enjoy

What is the connection between Graduation and Bay Leaves ?

Its graduation season , a time when cultures all over the world celebrate academic achievement. So, you ask, What is the connection between the Bay Leave and Graduation? 

It is the Baccalaureate ! 

To better understand the connection, lets look back in history.

Bay leaves, also known as Sweet Laurel, are one of the worlds most commonly used herbs. Its history dates back to the legends of the Greek god Apollo, god of prophecy, healing and poetry. Apollo was madly in love with a nymph named Daphne. She wanted no part of his affections and turned herself into a bay tree to hide from him. When he found out he declared the bay tree sacred and wore a wreath of its leaves on his head in her memory. In this same manner, crowns of Bay Leaves were given to the victors in battle and sporting events in ancient Greece and Rome. Later , Poets received the similar honor as a poets laureate  and Scholars received their honors in a ceremony called the  Baccalaureate.  

Turkish and Greek Bay Leaves are the know best in the world.  Grown wild in the  mountains , the winds blow across the Mediterranean and Aegean seas, picking up moisture and dropping it on the growing trees.  By the end of the summer the wind changes direction and comes from the south. Before it reaches the growing regions , the wind passes over several mountain valleys and ridges making it hot and dry, perfect for quickly drying the leaves with a minimum of flavor loss.  Because of the dry conditions, the winds create a high risk of forest fires , which can effect the bay leaf harvest and leave size.

Another form of Bay Leaves can be found occasionally on grocery Store and Culinary Spice and Herb racks. The California Bay Laurel has a bright green waxy coating and is very uniformed in size. They look beautiful, but cooks beware.  If you try to use this leave, be very careful as its strong and astringent flavor can overpower your dish. I would not suggest using more than 1/2 of a leave in any sauce or dish that  you plan to simmer . This leave is best used to garnish a dish. 

My preference is the traditional Mediterranean or European Leave. 

The flavor of Bay Leaves is perfect for adding to roast pork or chicken, pot roast, turkey, or ham, use 2-3 leaves and remove before serving. Bay Leaves are also perfect for spaghetti sauce and chicken soup, use 2 per quart. A great health tip is a surprising fact is that Bay Leaves improve the flavor of salt-free dishes with their rich flavor. 

The more you use Herbs and Spice to prepare you meals , the healthier you become. 

Enjoy! 

The truth about Mexican Vanilla

My wife and I just got back from a very short cruise to the Yucatan peninsula region of Mexico. As we got on and off the Ship , and at every tourist shop and store I was   amazed at the displays of “Pure Vanilla Extract” we saw. Huge pint size bottles of “Pure” vanilla for only $5.99 ..How could that be? 

Well...here is the truth about that vanilla and how it can be priced so cheap......Its not Pure and its not Vanilla ! 

To better understand how this happens , lets first look at how Pure Vanilla is made and how much it cost. Pure vanilla is made by macerating and percolating vanilla bean in a solution of ethyl alcohol and water. ( sometimes just water)   In the United States,  in order for a vanilla extract to be called "Pure" , the US Food and Drug Administration requires that the solution contain a minimum of 35% alcohol and 13.35 ounces of vanilla bean per gallon. To be a double strength (double fold) you would have to double the ounces to 26.70 ounces of vanilla bean per gallon , and so on for triple up to 20 fold. 

Lets do the math....Vanilla beans sell on the market for about $45-$65 dollars a pound (16 oz) for about 90 vanilla pods. In fact, vanilla pods are the second most expensive spice behind saffron.  Since 8 pints equal a gallon,  the wholesale cost of just the beans required to make Pure Vanilla would be over $4.69 !  Now add the cost to manufacture, package , distribute, etc, and you can see this is impossible.

So what are they selling? 

First it is important to understand that  Mexico still produces about 2% of the worlds Vanilla Pods , and still manufactures a small amount of Pure Vanilla for sale...but this is very rare and very expensive. Most mexican vanilla produced is sold to large soda companies leaving very little for the retail extract segment. 


Often, the product sold in tourist markets is actually produced using the Tonka bean extract and corn syrup in stead of actual Vanilla beans.  This so-called Mexican "Vanilla" is often contains a toxic substance called coumarin and shouldn't be bought by consumers, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration warns. Coumarin is related to warfarin, which is found in some blood thinners. Eating foods with coumarin may be dangerous for people taking blood thinners, because the combination could increase their risk of bleeding. In fact, the FDA does not allow this product to be imported legally into the US , and explains why you can not find it on the grocery store shelfs in America. Mexico does not have a FDA to control this type of labeling abuse. 

While it is tempting to buy Mexican vanilla at tourist spots -- which may smell and taste like real vanilla and is cheaper than the real thing -- it probably is not  real and could actually cause you or someone you know real harm. Even in the best case , it is really just an artificial extract using vanillin and corn syrup , and still is not Pure. 

So here is the bottom line, use common sense. If the price is to good to be true, it probably isn't true.  Just pass on it  and buy one of the wonderful Pure Vanilla's available at your local grocery store.