What Will You Be Eating In 2022

 Predictions always come with the new year. What will be the latest trends? Who will be the latest stars?  What will we eat is so important. What spice will be the spice to use? Or what veggie or meat will be the darling of social media?

That the question that regular contributor Kim Severson posed today in New York Times Food section. There is a lot of uncertainty thanks to the Omnicron variant  which is adding to economic uncertainty. There are also social justice concerns along with pressure from a fast changing climate.Yet there are some fun and interesting trends out there.The environment is always on people's and restaurant owner's mind. Cups, plates and bowls along with utensils are going to be edible. That means no waste to wind up in landfills.Another trend that's good for the environment is faux meats. Consumers have literally gobbled up everything from Gardein to Moringstar Farms. Mushrooms which are the another good source of protein are going to be one of the top foods of the new year.There's an interest in psychedelics (!) along with ones that can stand in for scallops. They will also be used in packaging with their fibers filling in for cardboard.Seaweed is also going to be one of the biggest natural trends.It too is good for the environment as it reduces carbon dioxide.

Some of the more fun trends will be a return to those ultra boozy , ultra tasty drinks that defined the Eighties. See an uptick in orders for Long Island Ice Tea, Blue Lagoons and Tequila Sunsets. These will be different from the originals in the sense that there will be more fresh juices and a better sort of alcohol.Another drink that will be popular with be the Vietnamese coffee Robusta. It may be bitter tasting and heavily caffeinated but it's less expensive than Arabica and better to cultivate. Candy from China and Korea will also find its' way into American mouth, thanks to a show like Squid Games. Korea also brings us the fusion word swicy - a combination of sweet and spicy  along with swalty  - sweet and salty , This marries savory with sweet or spicy with sweet. Indian food is also going to be very popular, especially dishes from such regions as Kashmir and Kerala, along with from Tamil. Food history will make foodies dive into Wikipedia and old cookbooks. Rudeness will be out as patience takes over.. Other trends include high tea, olives , Taiwanese breakfast dishes and the strange potato milk!

The New Year is going to be an interesting one. We'll be exploring and clamoring for Asian foods along with good for us and good for the environment foods. We'll practice kinds as we revive old cocktails and explore new flavor fusions like swalty and swicy. Here's to the future!

A Comforting Cookbook The Pinewood Kitchen

These are the times for comfort food , that's both soothing and comforting. A new cookbook, My Pinewood Kitchen: A Southern Culinary Cure (Health Communications 2020) may be the small antidote we need right now. There are some tasty dishes that can help us cope.

Mee MCCormick wrote this fascinating book which offers all sorts of recipes that can help with boosting the immune system. She herself has had an interesting life full of highs and lows. In th e meanwhile she wound up with such debilitating conditions as Hashimoto's disease , celiac disease and rheumatoid arthritis. Her recipes for Pinewood Kitchens, part of a farm, started by Samuel Graham, a free thinking farmer in the 1830. He created a kind of utopia where all men and women were equal in rural Tennessee. Chef McCormack brings her health background into her cooking and into the book. There are sections on the importance of adding berries and nuts into the diet and how they can help the body . another section, which many cooks and chefs ignore, is devoted to seaweed. She also emphasizes the importance of probiotic foods such as kimchi and sauerkraut and how they're very important in a diet. The many recipes reflect this.Chef McCormick also weighs in on sugar and what you can use in it's place - namely honey or coconut sugar , the last contains such nutrients as  zinc, iron , and calcium. She also recommends  monk fruit sugar It 's an all natural sugar first made by Buddhist monks in Southeast Asia and has no calories or carbs.

I like this cookbook a lot. There are sections from breakfasts (which comes later in the book) along ones on soups, main courses, sides and dips. The vegetarian ones are great for those cooking in a meat free home kitchen. The tempeh bacon is especially appealing , because it can also be made into a crunchy snack. It'll would also work well with Chef McCormick's falafel burger recipe. Since this is a Southern cookbook, there is a recipe for fried chicken. It's a healthier version sans the flour, being dipped in cornstarch for the crispiness. Cayenne and paprika give it color and bite. There are also collard greens along with black eyed pea croquettes, a different spin on the Southern classic. Okra is also here in fritter, roasted and pickled forms. She celebrates her Italian heritage with a tomato free (!) sauce for pasta. Miso or tamari along with kuzo root and umbeboshi vinegar give it that rich taste. Chef Mc Cormick does like tomatoes and she has an excellent tomato soup recipe, a perfect balm for these times. The breakfast recipes are interesting too, especially the breakfast tacos, made with scallions and zucchini along with bacon and eggs. Her breakfast smoothies  are rich with fruits and berries along with mushroom powder used to boost the immune system. I like the gluten free desserts, which are her family's pignoli  or pine nut cookies to a spin on the Southern classic pecan pie. She also had a healthier version of pumpkin pie too.

We need  healthy comfort food during these troubling and crazy times. Mee McCormick's My Pinewood Kitchen : A Southern Culinary Cure is just that. She provides us with great recipes that are good for our bodies and souls.

Edward & Sons Animal & People Friendly

Vegans and vegetarians have it hard during the holidays .It's difficult to find festive foods that are free of any animal products. Now add the problem of gluten allergy and it  becomes darned difficult. Luckily, there's a company, Edward & Sons that can help them navigate through the season.

This California  company is a godsend to vegans everywhere. It started in 1978 long before vegetarianism and anything organic became hip. Their first product was a miso cup, a nourishing instant soup, again made long before any of the more popular cup of soups. The ingredients were freeze dried yet wholesome, packaged in a simple packet. Their products have now evolved into ones that have no artificial colors or flavorings. Moms will  be grateful for the fact that none of the products have been made with chemical preservatives and hydrogenated fats. The company is divided in sections. There's Premier Japan which has Hoisin and teriyako sauces. Their Native Forest line is perfect for vegan bakers. It has coconut milk, both liquid and powdered that work well in baking and creating a dairy free whipped cream. This is a company with a conscious and it promotes and supports fair trade with by buying its' artichokes and coconuts from fair trade farmers. Edward & Son not only caters to vegans and animal rights activists, but is also to those with ADHD, gluten allergies along with soy and lactose allergies.

I was curious about the company and wanted to try their products.The miso soup is interesting  and easy to make. It's combining the miso with water and then adding a mix of dried soy and greens. The soy bits were very silky and creamy and they were  a nice foil to the briny saltiness of the miso. I think I will try the seaweed variety made with wakame seaweed next. I also have the Golden Gravy mix which will go well with seitan slices and mashed potatoes. Edward & Sons has a good variety of macaroni and cheese mixes and they're definitely on my radar.The Alfredo Mac made with brown rice elbow macaroni will be the one to try. They also make gluten free cake cones - my favorite  - and I decided to give these, too, a try.I used the richly decadent Talenti brand of ice cream - coffee chocolate chip to fill it. I like their gluten free cones better than the regular ones. They are crisper than the gluten ones and best of all the bottoms don't become soggy once the ice cream drips down,

This holiday season  - look to Edward & Sons for all your holiday cooking and baking needs. You can create a delicious and healthy meal and dessert with these good for you products. There's no need to scrimp on flavor,

A Healthy Saint's Paddy's Day

Today is St. Patrick's Day , a day dedicated to eating Irish food and drinking endless gallons of green beer.some may think it unhealthy however some Gaelic dishes are actually good for you . The Irish have always been big defenders of farm to table and locavore dining long before it became friendly.

One of the hallmarks of Irish cuisine is that it is fresh.Butter and cream come from nearby creameries throughout the island. There is fresh free range beef and lamb that are free of hormones and antibiotics.Yes there is the potato but there is also cabbage a true superfood.It is great for lowering cholesterol thanks in part to fiber. This binds with bile acids  which are then easily excreted. This lowers cholesterol.Cabbage does have to be steamed, though and not boiled for this to happen. It also has phyto chemicals that help in preventing colon , prostrate and bladder cancers. You can also have red cabbage too or Savoy  and these are rich in antioxidants,Red cabbage is an excellent source of Vitamins K and C and should be eaten on a regular basis.Corned beef,   surprisingly has some health benefits too..As with any red meat it's an excellent source of protein as well as B vitamins, zinc and thiamin. Remember it is also high in fat so just one serving will do.

Potatoes are another dish well associated with the Emerald Isle, although originally from South America.Everyone thinks they're bad for you but that's because they're either deep fried or served with tons of butter and sour cream.However  they are beneficial in preserving brain and nerve tissue.The skins contain quercitin which stops inflammation such as arthritis. Spuds are also good for bone,and heart health as well as lowering blood pressure.They can be cooked with another superfood kale to create a Gaelic classic , colcannon.This is made with milk and cream along with butter but you can sub in skim milk for whole.Seaweed is also a part of the Irish diet. In fact it was eaten during the Great Famine of 1850 when the  potato crop died out.This was dulse , and carrageen moss which are now considered super foods. Dulse is an excellent natural sauce of iodine along with being high in iron, and potassium. Carrageen moss is excellent for skin and hair along with for reduce respiratory problems. It is rich in Vitaimns A,E, F and K, along with be saturated with calcium, potassium and sulphur. Eat it to combat eczema problems and bouts with psoriasis.

Irish foods are healthy and good for you. Celebrate Saint Patrick's day with a healthy dose of corned beef and cabbage. Throw in some spuds , dulse and carrogeen moss to round it out. And, yes you can end it with a big mug of green beer!

New Foods On The Horizon

Every season brings new foods for foodie's to try.Some are kind of out there, some should have been invented years ago.All are interesting. All are tasty.All may just be household names and foodie must haves in a year or two. The Daily News Sunday Food section featured some of these latest concoctions after their food writer,Gina Pace tried these edible innovations at the Fancy Food Show at the Javits Center last week.There are some very interesting and even fun creations coming out.Some are healthy ,some are fancy and fun.One interesting choice are Brussel Bytes, a take on kale chips.Sequoia Cheney developed these after getting a diagnosis of diabetes.These are dehydrated sprouts mixed with coconut. They're both savory and sweet ,a neat addition to movie night or the lunchbox.Other healthful innovations are salmon dogs and shrimp burgers.These are better choices than the red meat and pork kinds and more interesting than turkey burgers and pups.Another treat from the sea are the ever good for you are Ocean Halo Seaweed Chips.Trader Joe"s is already selling these and have wild flavors like chili lime and Korean BBQ.These are high in protein and low in calories.Lifeoce ,an inspired invention from Paulette Fox is morsel sized Popsicles, inspired by her late mother's need for ice chips during her ovarian cancer battle.The small squares have a healthy coconut water base and come in neat flavors like Bright Berry Bouquet and Citrus Chomp. of course Ms. Pace also found the down right fun foods too.She got to see how a Chef Jet works.This is a 3D printer that can make interesting and colorful cake toppers in any design a baker can create.This is perfect for bakeries specializing in fanciful birthday and wedding cakes.There is also Scott Withrall's tasty sea salt and vinegar caramels, a tart spin on that popular candy.Have them with Smoked Cola Gum drops .Candy maker Jami Curl was experimenting with subtle smoky flavors first in cookies and then with the sugar laced Mexican version of Coca cola.It's a gumdrop with savory notes.If you want something a tad more sophisticated then try either Divno Gelato, a European favorite where fruit sorbets are put back into their skins or rinds or Mercer's Wine Ice Cream Try Sparkling Strawberry right now as a chic dessert or a mulled wine called Spice after a smoky barbecue?Speaking of barbecue,you can top steaks and burger with bacon cheeseburger cheese .This is from New York cheese maker Yancys which also has a wasabi laced from age.Wash it down with HiCaf iced teas which are caffeine infused drinks that are the perfect drink to get up roused up. There are fun foods on the horizon. they are going to be healthy anf fun or just plain decadent.They'll definitely worthwaitong for.

New York 's Ramen Revolution

Ramen soup is undergoing a seismic shift.Once relegated to college dorms and small,dingy restaurants, this Japanese classic is now becoming the hottest bowl for Manhattan foodies and soup hipsters.A good bowl od ramen is definitely worth heading into the city. Renowned New York Times food writer ,Pete Wells, gave his top choices in Wednesday's Times Dining section.As late as ten years ago if anyone in the NY metro area wanted an authentic bowl of ramen soup, he or she would have to follow what's known as the "ramen belt".This swung as far west as Fort Lee and as far east as Queens and Brooklyn.All that is changing thanks in the shift from soba to this.Soba noodles are prized for their delicacy in shape and flavor.It's minimalist, flavored only with scallions and togarashi,a spicy mix of dried chili pepper, sesame seeds and orange peels along with dried Ginger and seaweed.The broth is made from seaweed and dried fish.Ramen is a much more heartier affair.Pork pieces swim amongst the thicker noodles, and can be made cheaply from boiling meat and bones.That's not to say it's not as good as soba,in fact it's sheer heaven,with it's mélange of strong flavors. The top ramen shop on Mr. Wells list is Ivan Ramen's Slurp Shop in The Gotham West Market.The best is shoo, a chicken ramen that has both depth and clarity.The stand also has a vegetable shoyu, which tastes of roasted mushrooms blended with soy sauce.This is a hearty broth ,perfect for thkese blustery cold March nights.Another highly rated stop is Takashi, in the West Village.This is a Japanese Korean barbecue with a menu of all beef.That means the ramen is completely red meat.It's dotted with Cheerio sized rings of fried beef intestine.It's also gets added flavor from the beef belly also used.The city's ramen restaurants are also hybrids.There is the Korean Hanjan which features it's noodles in a bone broth ,spiked with a fiery hot chili pastor.Thailand also gives the ramen industry a boost too with it's restaurant Hide-Chan in Midtown.Black oil, made from roasted garlic, colors the broth while a dash of chilies gives it an unusual heat. Manhattan can be a chilly and dark place in late winter.Warm up with a bowl of hearty and exotic ramen soup.It's definitely worth a trip to the city for it.

Swimming In Seaweed

Seaweed isn't usually on the top of everyone's grocery list.Yet, it is not only tasty but high in nutrition.It's also a perfect departure from everyday ingredients too. even holiday parties and meals can be made more interesting just by adding it to the menu.

This veggie from the sea is a good addition to any diet , especially now in the cooler months. Eat a gram of it and get your daily dose of iodine. Seaweed is also high in Vitamin C and the arame kind is rich in potassium..It is also loaded with Vitamin B12 and taurine.Calorie wise it's only 30 per helping which makes it a nice alternative to land lettuce.It also helps in burning calories as well, perfect for those wanting to fit into those slinky holiday party dresses and pants.Seaweed has a slightly fishy, slightly briny and slightly leafy flavor.It becomes addictive once you get used to it. Start off the with dried  and salted chips to become acclimated with it.

Any kind of seaweed is highly versatile. The most used is the nori variety, which makes for the outer layer of all sushi.However you can also use the nori in a seafood risotto dish .Another way is in a light miso soup where  it adds both color and flavor.Seaweed makes for interesting salads. You can just serve it with a rice wine vinaigrette or add cucumber and grape tomatoes for a refreshing change of pace.Another super salad is mixing the different types with kale . This will give you not only a tasty lunch or side but a dish packed with Vitamin C and loaded with potassium too.

Add seaweed not just to add color and punch but also for its' nutritional value. It;s a great way of getting all those vitamins and and a good helping of  minerals too . Get away from the land lettuce and discover what the sea can give us.

Seal Burgers Anyone?

In yesterday’s food section of the Times, there was an article on seal meat. yes, those seal with their sweet round head and heart melting brown eyes. I love my meat but this is too much. I know this is a popular dish among the Inuits and some French Canadians but still - BABY SEALS???

The article, written by, Micheline Maynard goes on about how delicious it is and how it can be made into anyone. There are seal tenderloins and seal steaks, each with a deep , gamey taste. There is also raw seal tartare too, served with seaweed. The Canadians have no qualms about this , much to the disappointment of PETA and any animal lover on the planet. Seal is now a staple in a lot of restaurants in the Quebec province. The meat has been a staple of the indigenous people of Hudson Bay, for centuries. They usually eat the seal heart raw. Another part, the blubber has always been a dietary staple for them and the Eskimos.


Sorry fellow foodies I just can’t deal with eating such a cute animal. They remind me of my one cat when he’s sleeping. OK, maybe all animals, not just the seal don’t deserve to be stuck between two slices of bread . After all that‘s what soy is for. It’s just that seals are just so innocent looking and cute. How could anyone eat them? It’s like chowing down on your neighbor’s puppy.


I’m off to the other article about the hot dog wars which I’ll cover tomorrow. At least you can‘t get too worked up over a dog (well actually you can).