Happy New Year! Welcome to a new year of all things edible.
Healthy and health conscious are the theme for this year’s food trends. In general people have become more aware of what is not only deemed “healthy” for the general population, but are conscious of their own personal dietary needs. There is no one formula for calculating the diet of every 40-year-old female, or 14-year-old boy living in the country, because every body is different.
There is good news for those with specific dietary restrictions and mandatory guidelines for food consumption such as vegetarians, vegans and those with health conditions such as Celiac’s Disease, diabetes and IBS. Restaurants, bakeries, stores and small shops are acknowledging these special needs and readily provide nutritious and delicious foods and treats to suit the needs of these diets.
Local and Fresh is another hot topic in the food scene this year. With this comes more “do it yourself” projects in the kitchen. Yogurt, bread, pasta and sauce are all staples in most homes in the U.S -all of these things can easily be made at home and the “know-how” is becoming more readily available. Modern bloggers are producing books of this nature, informing young men and women of this era on raising chickens, making yogurt and sculpting home-made pasta. Resources I recommend: Home Dairy and The Homemade Pantry.
Leading up to this year there has been an increase in the concept of “farm to table” in restaurants all over the country and people are more frequently growing their own vegetables and raising their own animals for consumption. The steady rise in these activities as well as the availability of fresh, local produce at farmers markets and the occasional roadside stand, has led to a steady increase in canning and “putting-up” these fresh foods for the winter. Resources I recommend: Food in Jars.
Community Sustained Agriculture (CSA) is another great way to provide yourself and your family with locally grown, certified organic vegetables at a very reasonable cost. A local farm whose number one priority is their certified organic CSA is Porter Farms in Elba, NY. The farm conveniently has drop-off locations throughout Buffalo, the Tonawandas and a drop off on Grand Island.
As for desserts, the cupcake still holds popular for 2013, as the bakery that started it all, Sprinkles is still opening new locations. The Parisian Macaron has been on the scene for a few years as well, but is another dessert trend picking up momentum in 2013. Here is Martha’s recipe for traditional macarons. A few other dessert favorites gaining popularity in 2013 include: salted caramel, old-fashioned and vintage candy and gourmet ice cream.
Some trends I found interesting and intriguing on Bon Appetit’s list of food trends for 2013: Chicken, duck eggs and an $18 chocolate bar.
I look forward to a happy and healthy year of eating in 2013 to you and yours.
By: Rachel Jolbert
