Thanks to the efforts of trendy culinary circles in western Europe, many “forgotten” vegetables and heirloom edibles are now coming back into fashion around the world. However, you don’t have to travel to France or the Netherlands to find these unusual foods. This weekend we only had to go across town to the Glens Falls Farmers Market to fill our bags with rhubarb, sunchokes (Jerusalem artichokes), celeriac, and fiddleheads - all of which will find homes on the lunch special board over the coming days.
Dutch trend watchers at HBMEO make annual predictions about food, drink, and lifestyle changes each year. It seems like many of their 2012 theories are on point, not just for Dutch consumers but, right here in our own little city. Check it out….see what trends might apply to Glens Falls.
Source: So HBMEO Trendlist; Foodinspirationmagazine.nl
FOOD & DRINK TRENDS
- Long, leisurely breakfasts
- Quality instead of quantity
- Artisan instead of branded; Authentic craftsmanship
- Pressure cookers allow us to cook classics like draadjesvlees in half the time
- Small scale instead of mass market; Industrial crafts
- New vegetarian
- Pure and real
- Homemade granola
- Ban the microwave; no more prefab dinners
- Black pudding
- Old World wines for an honest price
- Homemade vla (see our recipes for star anise vla with forest fruits and chocolate vla)
- Forgotten vegetables, e.g. purple carrots, white beets, turnips and forgotten vegetable soup
- Surinamese sambal
- Fresh jalapenos
- Truffle potatoes
- Thai basil
- Homemade pickles
- Chutney (anything but mango)
- Fenugreek
- Beer & steaks; Beer with a twist
- Dumplings
- Food as medicine
- Asian persimmons
- Asian snacks
- Gin is the new vodka
- Tonics
- Ginger beer
- Cooking without sugar/salt
- Madeleines are the new cupcakes
- Pumpkin is in
- Tea trends: fresh ginger tea; black tea
- Real products: More quality, fewer additives
- Real instead of Light
- Eating out at home
- Classic cocktails 2.0: Bloody Mary; Bellini
- Regional pastries
- Miniature vegetables
- Using up leftovers
- New coffees: percolator coffee; herb coffee
- Homemade cookies (see our speculaas recipe)
- Hamburger variations
- Fresh, fresh, fresh ingredients; full of fiber
- Hard-boiled eggs
- Foreign breads: German loaves, Persian flatbreads & Greek pitas
KITCHEN & DINING ROOM TRENDS:
- Tulips on the table
- Table linens
- Personal, unique style and atmosphere
- Black wood floors
- Centerpieces
- Mixed ‘n matched tableware; Eclectic mix of styles
- Norwegian vintage
- Old-fashioned stove-top kettles
- Curtains instead of blinds
- Natural scents (no chemicals)
- Wild plants on the table
- Recycled furniture instead of IKEA
- The kitchen becomes a culinary workshop
- Homemade art
- Inspired by nature; Natural materials like wood and stone
- Everything becomes (multi)functional; Flexible interior
- Pastels and sorbet colors
- 1920’S elegance meets 1950’S happiness
- Classics with a personal twist
- Gas cookers
FOODIE LIFESTYLE TRENDS:
- Food tribes - Food as a lifestyle; Clandestine night markets; You are what you eat
- Urban Farming is hip
- Ritualized dining brings people together
- Culi-crossovers – a marriage or film, food, fashion etc.
- Ethical eating is in
- No waste: Top to tail eating; Smaller portions; Recycling
- Etiquette is in
- Money is out – living soberly as a statement
- Singing in your kitchen
- Social dining: Food sharing; Guerilla dining; Eating with the neighbors
- Men in the kitchen
- Hobby catering is hot
- Antique cookbooks
RESTAURANT & BAR TRENDS:
- Creativity is king: Creative new concepts; Pop-up restaurants; Originality
- Affordable luxury
- Flexible pricing - prices are fluid and adapt continuously, based on availability, weather, group size, etc.
- Smaller portions
- Bistros
- Weinerei (Berlin-style wine bars)
- Wohnzimmer bars (relaxed ‘living room’ bars)
- Single purpose bars and restaurants
- Brunch on Sunday
- Impersonal restaurants are out
- Elitist eating is over
- Restaurants in bars
- Gin bars
Source: So HBMEO Trendlist; Foodinspirationmagazine.nl
