What To Taste In 2017: McCormick Predicts The Future Of Flavor
by McCormick Flavour Forecast
Posted: 2016-12-22 15:17:47 EST

LONDON, ON – The McCormick® Flavour Forecast® 2017 – the go-to guide for trends and ingredients set to excite taste buds around the world – was released by McCormick & Company, Incorporated, a global leader in flavour.

For nearly two decades, this much-anticipated annual report from McCormick has predicted emerging flavours – like chipotle chilies, coconut water and Harissa sauce – that are now found everywhere from restaurants to retail shelves and kitchen cabinets.

“Each year, our Flavour Forecast reveals the top trends that inspire home cooks, chefs, foodies and culinary aficionado’s to broaden their palates, and introduce new flavours to their plates and menus,” said McCormick Executive Chef Juriaan Snellen. “This year, take your taste buds on a flavour journey with espelette pepper and baharat seasoning, global breakfast bowls, salted egg yolks and plancha grilled octopus, inspired by Basque cuisine.”

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 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 (Link online) – 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 (Link online) – 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 savoury 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 (Link online) – 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 (Link online) – 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.