2011 Food Trends: Some Okay But Some, Well ...

The annual summer fancy food show just ended at the DC convention center, and today the organizers issued a press release citing the top five food trends. Here they are:

Booze-Infused Foods
- Chili Lime Tequila Tortilla Brittle, Anette’s Chocolates
- Happy Goat Scotch Caramel Sauce, Happy Goat Caramels
- Roasted Peach Whiskey Sauce, Stonewall Kitchen

Give it a Try Kits
- Grow Your Own Mushroom Garden, Back to the Roots
- Mozzarella Cheese Making Kit, Roaring Brook Dairy
- Warm Belgian Chocolate Soufflé Kit, My Cup of Cake

Popped Food
- Black Truffle & White Cheddar Popcorn, 479 Degrees Popcorn
- Bourbon Infused All Natural Popcorn, Metropolitan Bakery
- Air-Popped Sorghum Grain, Mini Pops

Japanese Inspired Eats
- Yuzu Gummy Pandas, Bissinger’s Handcrafted Chocolatier
- Tonton Hibachi Japanese Steak and Barbecue Sauce with Sake, Argo Century, Inc.
- Matcha and Sencha Teas, Rishi Tea

Cherries
- Bada Bing Cherries, Tillen Farms
- Spiced Sour Cherry Spread, The Gracious Gourmet
- CocoNova Cherry Cacao, Honest Tea

These particular "trends" did not get my attention, except maybe for the home mozzarella-making kit. It was interesting, but living where I do -- in a major city -- it's so easy to buy really good fresh mozzarella. It didn't strike me as a big deal. I was more impressed with the "pie in a jar" from Country Living Magazine. All you need is the crust and the oven. Voila. 

I personally don't pay attention to booze in food because I don't like booze in food. I like booze in a glass and food to be separate. 

There was a lot of popcorn but I feel popcorn has been out there for a while. Caramels, yes, they were everywhere. I'm surprised the list didn't include "gluten free," which was also everywhere -- offered at practically every other booth. 

What did it mean that there were no cupcakes? At least none that I saw. 

It was a good show and I'm glad it will return to DC next year. As for trends: each to their own.