TRENDING UP: EMERGING ETHNIC FLAVOURS, FOODS
Monday, September 28, 2009
Ethnic cuisine has gained popularity with the increase in world travel and diversification of Canadian culture. Here, FoodService News looks at five of the top foods that are finding their way on menus and into food service establishments.
1. BLACK GARLIC
A type of fermented garlic used as a food ingredient in Asian cuisine, black garlic is not a new but it has only recently become popular in North America. Black garlic is produced by fermenting whole bulbs of garlic at high temperature. The result is a wonderfully complex flavour, a perfect mix of sweet and savoury with hints of balsamic or even tamarind. Much of the black garlic in Canada and the U.S. is supplied by Black Garlic Inc.
2. KIMCHI
Korea’s best known food, kimchi is any one of numerous pickled dishes made of vegetables with varied seasonings. Its most common manifestation is the spicy baechu or Chinese cabbage variety. The main source of “heat” is a paste made from red chili peppers.
3. SKYR
Unique to Icelandic cuisine, skyr is similar to strained yogurt though technically it is a very soft cheese. It is high in protein, calcium and vitamins commonly found in other dairy products, low in carbohydrates and contains next to no fat. It is often mixed with jam or fruit for a dessert or cereals for breakfast but is increasingly being used in smoothies.
4. MILKWEED PODS
Named for its milky juice, the milkweed plant was an important early vegetable to many Aboriginal communities. When its pods are pickled in a liquid composed of water, cider vinegar and spices, this fat little vegetable makes for a tasty appetizer. It can also be used in sandwiches and wraps or as a substitute for capers in some recipes.
5. SRIRACHA
Named after the city of Si Racha, Thailand, this spicy sauce is made from sun-ripened chili peppers that are ground with garlic into a smooth paste. Traditional sriracha tends to be tangier, sweeter and thinner than non-Thai, which is often thicker in texture. It is frequently used as a dipping sauce, especially for seafood, but with its popularization it’s popping up on sushi rolls and pizza and being used in lieu of ketchup for fries.
Files from Septembre Anderson, with input from Dana McCauley, president of Dana McCauley & Associates, and Kit Kiefer, corporate executive chef for the Schwan Food Co.
