Fried Chicken Corsage? Fried Chicken Pizza? Make it Stop!

Deep-fried bacon-wrapped lard balls with a caramel center. Nasty thought, right? Hit pause and read on.

What’s the deal with these gluttonous junk food trends lately? I know very few people who don’t love them some culinary creativity, but at some point someone really should draw a line. Grilled mac & cheese, doughnut burgers … And now: Fried chicken is getting a reboot and taking center stage as 2014’s junk food super star. 

(*** Warning: The following contains graphic content. Viewer discretion is advised. ***)

Dominos’ Fried Chicken-crusted Pizza

Step aside, Chicken Parm – you’ve been out-matched! This boneless chicken product features a “delicious” combo of various toppings, fatty sauces and cheeses layered over 12 nugget-sized bites of fried chicken. They say “lightly breaded, white chicken meat”, but does that matter after the meat is enveloped in cheese and blubbery sauces? The four unique flavors offered include Crispy Bacon & Tomato, Spicy Jalapeno-Pineapple, Classic Hot Buffalo and Sweet BBQ Bacon. Let’s just call this grub what it is: Hangover food “super charged”.

Ramen-Crusted-Chicken-Wings

Apparently Ramen hasn’t just situated itself into burgers of the modern age. Once a notoriously respected Japanese dish, that required at least 3 days and a lot of love to cultivate, Ramen has not just taken to infusing itself into mainstream junk food; Ramen has taken a hold of it and evolved gluttony into an entirely new art form. Introducing “Ramen-Fried Chicken”.  ‘Nuff said.

Meet the KFC Fried Chicken Corsage

Because, on the most important night of her youth, what every teen girl dreams of is an oily piece of food tied to her wrist, that gently brushes against her high-priced gown throughout the evening, and leaves greased-stained memories to last her a fortnight. Yeah… A fortnight. Because that’s how long it’s going to take her to realize that the joke is over and that dress that she was so proud to wear is now sporting that fast food stank no dry cleaner can get out. 

Last, but most definitely not least, introducing the…

Fried Chicken Slider

From Kobe burger to pork belly to, well, fried chicken. It seems as though slider trends are taking a turn of the carotid variety. It wasn’t enough to replace the sumptuously magical meat of Kobe with the ultra-saturated palatable pig product we call “pork belly”. No, instead some gluttonous kamikaze, out to make their mark, decided to come up with a deep-fried chicken sammy, slathered in cheese and sauce. After a long, wild night of partying, this cardiac-attack-on-a-plate-that-could-kill-a-marathon-man-in-a-single-bite may seem like a rationally wise choice of chow. However, we recommend chewing down 2 aspirin before sinking your teeth into a meal of Fried Chicken Sliders.

How would you categorize these fried-chicken-junk-food wonders? What’s next?

Deep-fried bacon-wrapped lard balls with a caramel center. That doesn’t sound so ridiculous now, does it?

Top 10 Food Trends for 2014

What's in store for foodies in 2014? We break down our best Top 10 Food Trend guesses below:

Non-Wheat Noodles

With the gluten-free trend in full swing in 2013, 2014 will be the year that restaurants start adding more non-wheat pastas to their menus, from quinoa to buckwheat noodles. Ruggles Green in Texas is already on this trend, with a menu filled with quinoa pasta.

Ice Cream Sandwiches

Say RIP to cupcakes, donuts and Cronuts, Ice Cream Sandwiches are the way to go in 2014. They’re portable treats that are popping up in food trucks and on dessert menus in a customizable way. Pick your favorite ice cream and cookie and make the ultimate combo, like at Baked Bear in San Diego.

Foraged Foods

Foraged foods and wild edibles like seaweed, truffles, rose hips and blackberries are becoming more and more hip in forward-thinking kitchens, lately. There are lots of 'edible' nature walks popping up too, just be careful if you do it on your own, sometimes nature can be sneaky. 

Fermentation

Although fermentation has been around centuries, chefs are now starting to play around with good bacteria and “rotting” food the correct way to add a modern twist. They’re making their own soy and miso, and many are incorporating kimchi into their dishes. The Good Fork in Brooklyn is adding a new spin to kimchi, serving up pork belly & kimchi egg rolls, as well as steak and eggs with a kimchi twist.

Sustainable Seafood 

Sure, sustainable seafood has been talked about before, but in 2014, we expect it to really come to the forefront. Consumers are getting more and more conscious about where their food comes from, and seafood is no different. The Atlanta Journal Constitution has some insight on the start of this trend in the Atlanta area. 

Tea as an ingredient

Tea isn’t just for your morning mug, it’s now an ingredient in many dishes and cocktails too. And we expect it to grow even more in 2014. Take Samovar tea lounge in San Francisco, for example. Their entire menu is infused with tea!

Heirloom Vegetables

Heirloom vegetables, which many gardeners agree are seeds originating before 1951, are plants which have not been hybridized or become so mass-gardened that they've lost their character. Certain parsnips, butter beans, and artichokes are making a comeback: easy to grow, beautiful, and true to their origins!

Nose-to-Tail Cooking 

Instead of just using a portion of an animal or a vegetable, in 2014, chefs will strive to include as many parts of the animal or vegetable as possible. That means you’re likely to see beef hearts, oxtails, and innards appearing on more menus, as well as entire plants from roots to seeds.

Housemade Hot Sauces

It's about time someone puts up their own hot sauce in restaurants instead or relying on Tabasco to season everything (though I do love Tabasco)! After Sriracha took over the food airwaves this past year, it's no wonder people are starting to create their own and get in on the latest fad.  Chili heads unite!

Egg, It's What's for Dinner

Eggs are going to be EVERYWHERE in 2014, especially for dinner. Scotch eggs, eggs and pork belly hash (yes, please), baked, and taken to the next level. No longer a topper of burgers or a side with your waffles, eggs will rule the roost in 2014.

[by Caitlin Heikkila & Sophia Proler]

The Biggest Food Trends of 2013

As the year winds down, we’re looking back on some of the biggest food trends of the year. From foodies getting crazy for the cronut, to fried eggs flying all over the place, here are 7 trends that stood out to us in 2013.

Sriracha Hot Sauce

How many Sriracha memes did we see this year? With the rumors of a Sriracha shortage, foodies flocked to the supermarkets to get their hands on a bottle (or case, perhaps) of the garlicky hot sauce. While we’re not sure what the status is on the stuff, we know that in 2013 it was topped on everything— from sandwiches to bowls of pasta.

Cronuts

Oy. The Cronut, aka the cross between a croissant and a donut. Dominique Ansel Bakery in New York City dreamed up the fluffy pastry, and lines formed the door to try one. Soon, other bakeries and cities began selling their take on it to start the 2013 Cronut Craze.

Kale

In 2013, suddenly every restaurant had a kale salad. Whether they topped it with shrimp, or made it a Kale Caesar with creamy dressing, the cruciferous veggie was a hit. Not only was kale praised for its health benefits, but also its ability to be baked into a crispy chip.

Artisanal Cocktail Syrups

This year was filled with intricate cocktails dreamed up by mixologists, and most of those cocktails were filled with artisanal syrups in flavors like ginger, cinnamon, and rhubarb. Many bars started making their own syrups, and companies like Morris Kitchen started appearing on fancy cocktail menus. 

Non-Dairy Milks

Cashew, almond, coconut, rice, hemp… take your pick. In 2013, regular cows milk (and even soy) seemed boring compared to the new non-dairy milks out there. Even cafes and coffee shops started supplying several milk options for your creamy coffee pleasure. 

Fried Egg on Everything

Want to make something taste better? Add a fried egg on top. That was the mentality in 2013, as we saw oozing fried eggs on top of pizza, enchiladas, short ribs, rice, and of course, burgers. We can’t argue with this one—a comforting fried egg adds some hearty flavor.

Ramen Burger

First the Cronut, then the Ramen Burger. It’s a burger, but instead of a bun, it’s on paddies of salty ramen noodles. Like many trends, it made its debut at a food festival in Brooklyn that had people waiting in line for hours to get their hands on one. Mashable even taught readers how to make their own at home.

[Written by Caitlin Heikkila]

“Price is No Option for Good Sushi!”: Challenge Accepted!

One of the most innovative chefs in the world creates the most expensive sushi in the world: Sushi Del Oriente.

Filipino chef Angelito Araneta Jr. introduced himself to the world at the age of 20 years old by being innovative and an outside the box thinker. Nicknaming himself the Karat Chef, he has been outdoing himself every chance he gets, making each dish more extravagant than the last. Known for his unusual works of food art, his dishes are mainly used as gifts in marriage proposals or during courtship.

Above is the Gold Dragon that he made in Manila, the Philippines for the Lunar New Year.His edible water-dragon sculpture made of gum-paste icing, coated with 24k gold leaf and adorned with 17 Mikimoto pearls and two diamonds on the eyeballs. Angelito made the sculpture, which costs about ...

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Source:  http://blendabout.tumblr.com/post/48930062997/price-is-no-option-for-good-sushi-challenge

Five Foodie Resolutions to Make This Year

Maybe you made a New Year’s Resolution, but did you make a Foodie Resolution?  Make your foodie goals come true this year—I have 5 ideas to be a better foodie in 2013.

photo via Evie Says

1.    Take a New Cooking Class

      Whether you’re a kitchen newbie or if you already have impressive cooking skills, sign up for a new cooking class this year. Try creating a new cuisine that you normally don’t cook at home—perhaps Thai, Indian, or Scandinavian cooking. Taste of Home has a great database to find classes near you.

2.    Attend a Supper Club or Alternative Dining Experience

If you haven’t explored the word of alternative dining, now is a good time to start. Once an underground trend, supper clubs are popping up across the country. If you’re in NYC, check out Underground Eats for some one-of-a-kind foodie experiences.

3.    Start Your Own Supper Club

Are you a good cook? Have space in your home for some outside diners? Start your own supper club! Create your menu, invite some friends, and leave the invite open to meet some new people over your home-cooked meal. Cooking Light has some great tips to get it going.

4.    Try a New Food

Strive to find a food you’ve never tasted before—maybe it’s frogs legs, stinging nettles, quail meat, or something else you avoided in the grocery store or menu. For an extra challenge, cook it yourself!

5.    Read More Cook-lit

Of course, eating food is a good way to learn about food, but reading can be too! Invest in some cookbooks, chef bios, and food history, and cooking literature to get some other perspectives on the culinary world. I highly recommend The New Brooklyn Cookbook and Marcus Samuelsson’s biography, Yes Chef.

Have a delicious new year. 

What to Eat at Justin Warner’s “Do or Dine”

Whether you rooted for Justin or another Season 8 Next Food Network Star Finalist, there’s no denying that Justin Warner’s restaurant Do or Dine in Brooklyn is a one-of-a-kind foodie experience. From foie gras doughnuts to frogs’ legs in a Spicy Dr. Pepper Glaze, the casual eatery combines unexpected flavors to create unique takes on classic comfort food. Here are three menu items you can't pass up. 

1.       The “margarita”

Rather than serving up a typical margarita, Do or Dine offers a shot of tequila with an orb of lime and salt that you pop in your mouth as a chaser. They also offer a pickleback version if you’re feeling something a little briney-er.

2.       "Nippon Nachos"

These are not your average tortilla chip nachos. Do or Dine takes nachos to the next level by adding an Asian twist. They use deep-fried dumplings instead of chips, and top them with melted cheddar, sour cream, salsa and scallions.

3.       “A Fish and Some Chips”

I believe fish and chips are always a good choice when craving comfort food, but I think Do or Dine’s version is even better than the original. They serve up a crispy snapper with a little Mohawk of fish roe, and a side of thick potato-ey fries. Double bonus—it’s made with fish sauce and yuzu for a little unexpected bite.

Enjoy! 

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India + Sushi = True Love Forever? Evidence of the World-Wide Culinary Evolution

No, hell is not freezing over. But the rumor is true: India has adopted Sushi as the new food craze. Raw-fished sushi is a rising trend in a land where the concept of raw fish consumption would top the tales of terror.

Sushi is just starting to become more widely available in urban areas across India. And while the USDA estimates up to 42% of the Indian population is vegetarian and would never be open to eating sashimi (raw fish), that still leaves the meat-eaters in majority and clearly their palettes are evolving. There are also certain styles of sushi that the sushi-loving-Indian is gravitating towards, such as Norimaki (raw fish wrapped in rice wrapped in seaweed).

Most recently, sushi has attracted spot-light attention with upscale Japanese restaurants opening in India’s major cities. Megu is adding New Delhi and Mumbai to its roster of global locations. And just this past November, Nobu Matsuhisa, the renowned chef proprietor of the Nobu and Matsuhisa restaurants, flew out a team of 26 chefs, managers and service staff from London, plus all the equipment needed, to convert a Mumbai restaurant into a Nobu dining experience (a sit-down dinner at Nobu ranges from $600 to $1,200 per head). While Food Network’s Iron Chef, Masaharu Morimoto, has already established his Japanese restaurant, Wasabi, at the Taj Mahal Hotel in Mumbai, which has received critical acclaim. Some of the other well-known restaurants with sushi bars in India include “Three Sixty” at the Oberoi Hotel in New Delhi, “Harajuku” in the O Hotel in Pune, and “Tetsuma” in Mumbai.

This is just another example of how the culinary evolution is spreading across the world at light-speed. If India can embrace the Sushi Revolution, imagine all of the possibilities that behold the future of the human civilization as a whole...

I can’t wait.

Top 10 Food Trend Predictions for 2011

2011 is just around the corner and I’m always blown away by the culinary strides that have been made over the past year. Extreme cooking and celebrity chefs have dominated the media, while Organic ingredients and a healthier régime have become the preferred way of life.

And now that culinary culture has secured a place in our minds and our hearts, I’m on the edge of my seat, eager to see what will unfold in the New Year. Flavor is King, with Queen Quality right at his side. Here are Foodie Gossip’s top 10 food trend predictions for 2011:

1. The Grilled Cheese Sandwich: Grilled cheese has gone gourmet! We’re expecting to see variations of this classic sandwich make more appearances in upscale restaurants, on food carts and in food trucks across the nation. Why? Because the ingredients are cost-friendly, it’s an easy dish to whip up and the grilled cheese sandwich is so mouthwateringly delicious!

2. Sausage: The wurst is just getting better. I’m sure you’re rolling your eyes at this one, but we’ll see sausage take on new forms in 2011. Picture leaner, higher-quality meat. Then imagine some fancy additives like cheese, pineapple, or rum. Yes, I said rum. But the one that I’m predicting to make its way into mainstream cooking is the seafood sausage. It’s already moving up the charts.


3. Grits: Are grits the “new grain”? Southern comfort moves beyond breakfast and is making its way up North. Grits have been a Southern delicacy for ages, but add a little spice and grits become more conventional, a food we’ll all soon embrace.

4. Pies are the new Cupcake: With so many potential variations and comfort food playing a pivotal role in today’s food trends, it’s no surprise that the pie is being welcomed back into the fold. We’re already seeing an increase of bite-sized pies on food stands in farmer’s markets and in grocery stores, like Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s. We’ll see this pie-sized trend scale to larger proportions in the New Year.


5. Culinary Cannabis: With the first cannabis cookbook released on the mainstream market and 15 states having legalized the use of medical marijuana, we can only expect the culinary community to further embrace this herbal concept. Just Google “Cannabutter” or “Hemp Ice Cream” and you’ll see what I mean.

6. Sweet Potatoes: The French fry is getting side-lined for the sweet potato fry. Sweet-savory is more popular than ever and the health benefits from a regular potato pales in comparison to its sweeter cousin.

7. Bacon Fat: While I can’t imagine bacon fat replacing butter, this flavorful fat will take center stage in many gourmet dishes.


8. Macarons: Commonly mistaken for the macaroon, the Parisian macaron is a delicious and colorful Parisian pastry, composed of two ground-almond/almond paste meringue cookies bound together with buttercream, ganache or fruit filling. Many predict the macaron will replace the cupcake, which I think is a stretch, but the macaron will definitely be taking home the prize for 2011’s “Cookie of the Year”.

9. Discomfort Foods will become a bit more comforting: Chocolate bacon, fried cricket, Chocolate pasta, and blood sausage are just a few of the strange and unusual foods that will make more frequent appearances in culinary culture. They may sound crazy, but so did snails (escargot), raw beef (Carpaccio), and medium-rare pork when they were first introduced.

10. Gourmet Street Food and Food Trucks: The food truck craze is still going strong in cities like Seattle and Los Angeles. And why shouldn’t we see the economically-friendly food on wheels expand its reach across the good ol’ US-of-A? Food trucks and street food stands are a perfect stepping stone for the young and ambitious restaurateur. Unlike opening a new restaurant, the portable food venue is cost-effective and allows for greater ease in testing culinary creativity on patrons.

More Food & Cocktail Trends and Predictions:
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2010 Top 10 Food and Beverage Trends

2010 Top 10 Food and Beverage Trends

2010 was a great year for culinary advancement and culinary entertainment, thanks to the Food Truck revolution, Bravo TV’s Top Chef, Gordon Ramsay, the launch of the Cooking Channel, and Food Network stars, like Bobby Flay, Giada De Laurentiis and Paula Deen. We see food playing a greater role in our culture and I’m predicting an even greater rise of culinary creativity in 2011.

But let’s take a moment to reflect on 2010. According to the “Culinary Trend Mapping Report”, a journal produced bi-monthly by the Center for Culinary Development, the top food trends for 2010 are as follows:

1. Gourmet-On-The-Go: Street food was on fire this year, made by cooks and chefs of all stripes. One notable subset was fine-dining chefs serving upgraded street food either in restaurants or from refurbished carts and taco trucks, while foodie entrepreneurs made specialized, high-quality cuisine available on the go.

2. "Fine Fast" Sandwich Shops: These gourmet sandwich shops took the art of sandwich-making seriously. They were often helmed by fine-dining chefs and featured high-quality, artisan and locally sourced ingredients, as well as a wide range of house-made condiments and toppings.

3. Boutique Booze: Boutique booze was all the rage in 2010, from bars that specialize in a single type of liquor to festivals that celebrate spirits made by independent producers. Local liquor outlets have benefitted from newly flexible blue laws and the legalization of liquor tastings in stores and at factories, as well as the growing consumer enthusiasm for all things handmade and artisan.

4. Condiments, Preserved Foods & Heirloom Produce: A rising number of passionate people took food back to its roots, literally. They grew produce from heirloom seeds, revived the art of home canning and made condiments and preserved products of all kinds. This resulted in new thriving DIY communities as this new wave of artisans found outlets for their products at craft and farmers markets, online and at specialty retail stores.

5. Parisian Macarons: This delicious and multi-hued Parisian pastry, composed of two ground-almond meringue cookies bound with buttercream, ganache or jam filling, is like a couture Oreo – light and tasty, satisfying, and adaptable to variations. Perhaps trying to take on the supremacy of the cupcake, macarons were found this year in a wealth of high-end bakeries and gourmet-food retailers -- and became a staple of food photography.

6. Bahn Mi & Bao: Bao (a Taiwanese pork-based sandwich, served on a white flour bun) and banh mi (a Vietnamese sandwich featuring grilled meat or pate served on French bread) perfectly marry the novel with the familiar, appealing to consumers who love sandwiches but are searching for flavor adventure. Both bao and banh mi made waves in 2010 in urban centers like San Francisco, Los Angeles, New York and Chicago, as well on the street from a myriad of street food trucks and carts.

7. Butchery: Butchers stole the headlines this year, acting as unexpected emissaries of the heritage meat and artisan trends that came together to renew popular demand for handcut meat. With the upsurge in production and consumption of high-quality meat, young and aspiring foodies flocked to butchery demonstrations, ready to get their hands bloody (literally) to feel closer to the sources of their food.

8. Agave Nectar: Agave nectar became the much-talked-about sweetener in 2010, stealing a bit of stevia's thunder. No wonder: it fits well with consumer desires for a plant-based sweetener, its low glycemic index maintains blood sugar levels, and because it is sweeter than sugar, consumers can use less of it. A syrup that can be easily added to products ranging from beverages to baked goods to sauces to confections, agave nectar has demonstrated its versatility in the 300+ agave-bearing products already on the market and available in retailers like Whole Foods and Trader Joe's.

9. Eggs All Day: More than ever, the egg is being placed front and center as a food that is inexpensive, healthful (protein-rich or low-fat if only egg whites), and adaptable, whether for a sandwich or wrap, to accompany a salad, on a pizza, mixed with pasta...and the list goes on. Though reinventing the egg might seem like reinventing the wheel, many Stage 4 women's magazines have innovated on breakfast's most basic food to generate new ideas for home chefs.

10. Better Burgers: Building better burgers became a nationwide obsession in 2010, whether it meant adding exotic toppings, using grass-fed and locally sourced beef, or finding the perfect bun. Many fine dining restaurants have added dressed up versions on their menus while chain restaurants responded to customer demand for better quality meat by using Angus and Kobe-style American Wagyu beef for their burgers.

I can’t wait to see what happens in the new year!

Happy Holidays everyone!


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