FDBusiness.com

The McCormick® Flavour Forecast® 2017 – the go-to guide for trends and ingredients set to excite taste buds around the world – has been released by Schwartz – owned by parent company McCormick & Company, Incorporated – a global leader in flavour. For nearly two decades, this much-anticipated annual report from Schwartz has predicted emerging flavours – like chipotle chilies, coconut water and peri-peri sauce – that are now found everywhere from restaurants to retail shelves and kitchen cabinets.

“This year the Flavour Forecast identifies cutting-edge flavors that help chefs, tastemakers and home cooks refresh their menus,” says McCormick Executive Chef Kevan Vetter. “Discover a new all-purpose seasoning – Baharat. It’s a fragrant, Eastern Mediterranean blend of spices such as cumin, cardamom, black pepper, nutmeg and more.  Sprinkle over warm, seasonal soups, stir into tomato-based sauces, or add to your favourite chicken dish.”

Here are the five flavour trends the chefs, culinary professionals, trend trackers and flavour experts at McCormick have identified for 2017:

• Rise & Shine to Global Tastes – Breakfast options with big, global flavours are being sought after by a generation of flavour adventurists not content with the same boring bowl. Try warm, sweet congee or a Middle Eastern-inspired breakfast hash topped with a spicy skhug sauce.

o    Taste It: Breakfast Hash with Skhug Sauce (Link online) – Tender chickpeas, ground lamb or beef and roasted vegetables seasoned with a blend of coriander, cumin and fennel.

o    Say It: Skhug [shug], this complex Middle Eastern hot sauce is made with Thai bird’s eye chilies, cumin, cardamom, coriander, garlic, parsley, cilantro, olive oil and lemon juice.

• Plancha: Flat-Out Grilling – Hailing from Spain, France’s Basque region as well as Mexico, the plancha (a thick, flat slab of cast iron) is growing in popularity around the world for creating a sizzling, smoky sear and flavour crust. Grillers can easily use the plancha with meats, seafood and vegetables, paired with bold sauces, rubs and glazes.

o    Taste It: Espelette Pepper-Rubbed Steak a la Plancha – a zesty, Mediterranean-herb rub enhances juicy steak grilled on a sizzlin’ hot plancha.

Say It: Espelette [es-PE-let] pepper, originating from the Basque region of France, delivers a distinctively smoky, sweet and mildly hot flavour.

• Egg Yolks: The Sunny Side of Flavour – Egg yolks leave breakfast behind! Whether poached, fried or cured, chefs are pairing these indulgent golden gems with a range of spices, herbs and sauces on lunch and dinner menus.

o    Taste It: Mediterranean Vegetable Shakshuka – Sunny-side-up egg yolks simmered in a tomato and vegetable sauce make a rustic supper.

Say It: Shakshuka [shahk-SHOO-kah], flavoured with a savory spice blend of smoked paprika, cumin, pepper, cayenne, turmeric and caraway.

• Modern Med – Discover the new cuisine for the 21st century – melding Eastern Mediterranean ingredients with Western European classics.

o    Taste It: Persian Minestrone – Persian Ash-e reshteh meets Italian minestrone.

o    Say It: Ash-e Reshteh [OSH-e-resh-tay], a thick, hearty soup made with beans, herbs, turmeric and flat noodles.

• Sweet on Pepper – Enter the new sweet heat. With an up-front bite and lingering sensation, peppercorns are finally capturing the spotlight. Their cedar and citrus notes pair perfectly with up-and-coming naturally sweet ingredients like dates and dragon fruit.

o    Taste It: Dragon Fruit & Strawberry “Poke” with Pepper Syrup – Fresh strawberry and diced dragon fruit salad atop a dollop of peppered whipped cream and crispy wontons.

o    Say It: Poke [po-kay], create this unique take on Hawaiian poke salad with a drizzle of balsamic-pepper syrup.

To view and explore the full Flavour Forecast 2017 report, visit www.FlavorForecast.com.