Anne BralyIt's that time of year for culinary prognosticators to peer into their crystal balls and forecast what food trends will appear on menus in coming months.
"We work hard to make sure our trends are not 'flash-in-the-pan,' but are true trends that evolve from an idea into mainstream action by a majority of the population," says Kay Logsdon, editor-in-chief at The Food Channel. "So we actually expect our predictions to be seen throughout the life of food in a year."
Logsdon cites one of last year's predictions: The increased popularity of 3-D food printers, as one that she says came true "big time."
While most people thought 3-D printers were used for architectural and tech-toy purposes, 3-D food printers came out, using paste to create incredible decorator icings. While it's not yet mainstream, it has certainly caught the eyes of cakemakers throughout the country, she says.
"We've been watching food trends since the 1980s and have a really strong database of information about behavior around food. That allows us to watch as something begins to creep into the market, and follow it as it evolves," Logsdon says. "Modern food consumers love change -- variety often drives the market these days."
So here's this year's list of the top food trends to watch in 2015 as predicted by The Food Channel.
1For the first time in years, there is no big, single ethnic food trend. Last year, for example, Indian food was predicted to be a significant addition to menus throughout America. This year, experts predict that American chefs will settle into fusing local cuisines with ethnic flavor.
"We aren't distinguishing particular countries or cultures anymore," Logsdon says. "We're too busy infusing everything with other foods to accept a single flavor palate. Global influences are big right now as we merge our traditions and food heritage into our menus."
2Handmade foods will get revamped. "Handmade has to reinvent itself with the roots revival. It's no longer just the recipe from scratch, but it's the recipe from scratch with the story behind it. Food will become the storyteller," Logsdon says.
3Millennials need to designate a driver. They are drinking so much wine, it will be rebranded as a drink -- what Food Network is calling the Casualization of Wine. Rather than intimidating, wine has become more approachable and will be served in more unexpected places as the trend grows: in coffeehouses, burger joints and in ball parks around the country. With about 85 million Millennials, the generation is poised to spur the largest growth in the wine industry since their baby boomer parents began drinking wine around 30 years ago, according to the Wine Market Council.
4The dinner party is back. "Because people are so connected online, they are forcing sessions where they connect offline," Logsdon notes.
5Chefs will further govern their kitchens, banning certain items and even starting to control the ambiance in their restaurants. Diners will choose a restaurant not only for its food but also for how closely their desires align with those of the chef.
6There will be an expansion of food incubators, offering inexpensive access to a licensed commercial kitchen for would-be restaurateurs to test the waters without taking on a lot of risk. Also, there will be renewed interest in going "back to the farm" to learn more about where our foods come from, and what the farms are doing.
7"Quality" and "fresh" are no longer buzzwords that will help sell foods. "Everyone is claiming that now," Logsdon says. "Now, consumers want you to prove it."
Farmers markets have become a hub where people interested in food meet up and compare notes, she continues. Grocery stores and restaurants have realized they need to offer something similar and that trend will expand. More restaurants will hold cooking classes -- "let people in behind the scenes," she says -- and also showcase local providers on particular nights.
8. Spices evolve into everyday use, and people will start treating them as condiments.
9. Expect new appliances and smaller workspaces that replicate the restaurant experience. People are beginning to take home cooking seriously, putting chef practices into place, including good safety practices, such as using a different cutting board for each purpose. Wanting the home kitchen to be more efficiently designed, the equipment will become as important as the food served.
10. Food manufacturers will produce "cook-it-together" packages, as well as meals for two. Traditional meals for a family of four goes away. And recipe suggestions will be offered for life stages rather than age-related demographics. Cooking together becomes an evening of entertainment rather than a chore. As part of this, the frozen dinner is prime for a re-invention.
Traditionally, major food trends such as these most often start in big cities such as San Francisco, New York and Seattle, but Logsdon says this is changing.
"It's really more about regional areas starting the trends," she says. "We're seeing trends evolve out of some of the most interesting places where food is important to daily life, so farming communities in the U.S. have just as much chance of starting a food trend as a small town in China."
Contact Anne Braly at abraly@timesfreepress.com.