2013 Food and Drink Trends (Originally written for the Association of Food Bloggers

Originally written for the Association of Food Bloggers' Restaurant News Section:

2013 Food and Drink Trends

Posted on 22 February 2013

By Markeya Williams

2012 was an exciting year for many food and cocktail trends. It was also the year that ended with many trends on the horizon and awaiting their turn to blossom from the minds of geniuses and out into the world to turn us on.

Leave your ‘sweet tooth’ behind

2013 is the year of the bitter, sour, and spicy! Let’s talk digestifs if you will; though it does appear to be and odd place to begin.

 

Amaro. Interpreted as “bitter” in Italiano. 2012 ended with great interest in such digestifs as Averna and Fernet-Branca, which made quite the reintroduction to society along with aperitifs such as Campari and Aperol.

The American palate is being forcefully pushed toward bitter and herbaceous and we should all be grateful. Don’t believe me? Next time you’re out on the town, order a Fernet-Branca or perhaps a Menta-Branca and watch your bartender’s eyes light up then hold on to your chair for the astringent, though pleasantly smooth and very grown up experience that is Fernet.

House made (wonderfully inviting new buzzwords) bitters, simple syrups, and shrub syrups.
It’s a pretty surreal experience to sit at the oak in your favorite watering hole and observe hand-written labels boasting “grapefruit shrub” or “house bitter blend”. It almost takes you back to Organic Chemistry class, but with a more entertaining result.


Photo Credit: Markeya K. Williams (DrFoodie Photography). ArtBar (Cambridge, Massachusetts)

House made hot sauce is also challenging us all beyond Texas Pete (not that there’s anything wrong with that). But aged, fermented Korean chili paste (gochujang) and even fresh horseradish based hot sauces are leading the way these days. Most are simple, but brace you for a few with a storyline.

Photo Credit: Markeya K. Williams (DrFoodie Photography). Kitchen (Boston, Massachusetts) Chef Scott Herritt’s Frog legs with House made Hot Sauce

Salted & Boozy Desserts

Not so unusual in Asian cuisine, salted desserts are capturing and holding the attention Westerners. Salted caramel has eased us into this trend. We’ve found salted caramel swirled in vanilla ice cream, enjoyed bacon chocolate, stout(ed) chocolate, bacon cotton candy, and salted caramel candies/chocolates. It’s quite an interesting ride! Adult milkshakes (think banana with rum) are also all the rave!


Photo Credit: Markeya K. Williams (DrFoodie Photography)


Photo Credit: Markeya K. Williams (DrFoodie Photography) Corn popsicle at The Painted Burro Mexican Restaurant (Somerville, MA)


Mei Mei’s Kitchen (Boston) Cider ice cream w/ salmon roe and brown butter powder


 
Crisp fried chicken livers with orange marmalade, fried tobacco onion, and garlic seared greens. Estelle’s Southern Cuisine (Boston, MA)

Fun-Filled Deviled Eggs

I never imagined such a phrase would ever be written, but restaurants everywhere seem to be competing on how to design the trendiest deviled egg. Think smoked, spicy chicken liver, pesto, or smoked salmon with capers and you’ll understand what I mean.   


Spicy, Smoked Chicken Liver Deviled Eggs. Estelle’s Southern Cuisine (Boston, MA)

Not Your Average Kid’s Meal

Fancy kiddos celebrate! Your child is not a second class diner with limited choices of chicken nuggets and mac n’ cheese. Even the palates of babes are becoming more sophisticated. Treat
your little gourmands to panko hand-breaded chicken, whole grain items, pot stickers, even small filet mignon and they may not expect a toy afterwards.