5 Fun Food Trends by Melinda Curtis

I am not a foodie, but I have written a couple of chefs as heroes/heroines, which makes me amply qualified to read Food Network and Rachel Ray magazines. I'm always fascinated by the food facts they toss out. What better way to spend Monday morning than with something trivial and tasty?

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1. The latest chocolate trend is...Ruby Chocolate. What began as a development from a Swiss company (chocolate with a hint of berry flavor) is now going mainstream with Pink KitKat.

I can't shake the impression that it should taste like a McDonald's strawberry milkshake, but I'll try anything chocolate once.

2. Sweet and spicy flavor combinations are trending (mango with chile, spiced hot chocolate, etc.). As you might have guessed, the candy industry has hopped on this trend as well. Expect to see Sweet-and-Spicy Skittles soon.

3. According to a recent poll, Grilled Cheese is America's favorite sandwich. This wasn't news to me, as it's my favorite comfort food. And yay! It beat out 16 other sandwiches. The runner up? Subs (seems highly unfair since there are hundreds of "subs"). I'm not sure if the candy industry can hop on this trend successfully, because I seem to recall a Grilled Cheese Potato Chip (now defunct).

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4. Just when you thought they couldn't do anything new to coffee, here comes Nitro Coffee (cold-brew coffee infused with nitrogen gas). The process gives coffee a milder flavor and creamier texture. I suppose if you're trying to put less cream in your coffee, you might give this a try.

5. I know we've all been told by our mothers not to eat raw cookie dough, but when Do in NYC began serving cookie dough it created a tizzy and spawned shops opening across America. You can even find edible cookie dough in your local grocery store.

I'd like to leave you with a fun food fact. The longer a couple has been together, the more the odds increase that they will like or dislike the same foods. Proof anyone?

Have you seen new food trends or hopped on the bandwagon of a trend mentioned above?

Melinda Curtis is an award-winning, USA Today bestseller of over 40 romances. Her latest release is due in March - Marrying the Wedding Crasher, book 11 in the Harmony Valley series (each book stands alone). Says one reviewer: ...emotional and humorous.


Comments

  1. Not so sure about couples liking the same foods. 33 years of marriage, and I still don't like broccoli, coffee or spicy. Which also means I'll be avoiding some of those new trends!

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    1. I used to love broccoli. And then every time I was pregnant it made me nauseous. Mr. Curtis still loves broccoli tho

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  2. I tried the new Hershey's Gold candy bar. Yum. I'll have to check out the Kit Kat.

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    1. I would love to hear about that (I did hear they might charge more than a regular bar)

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  3. I've noticed sweet & salty is now a standard in chips and popcorn. I can't see myself eating edible cookie dough--seems like an oxymoron. Kinda cool to hear what's trending, though. Best, Melinda!

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  4. This is fun--it's been interesting to see trends change over my lifetime--lots more choice now. There's a neurologist in Chicago, Alan Hirsch, who researches smell and taste and how they guide human behavior, including how we choose partners. He was a long term client of mine, but many of his books are out of print now. Still, if you want to match couples through food choices and such, his work is a good resource, and although I haven't looked for updates lately, he's got info on his site about personality traits and food choices. Could be useful for characters.

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  5. I'm seeing a lot of salted caramel in various things like candy and coffee. Also, I have never seen the array of potato chips as there are on shelves today. I'm not sure there is an original potato chip any more. Fun post. Looking forward to your book.

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    1. Thanks, Roz. I'm drinking coffee with salted caramel creamer right now :)

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  6. Now I'm hungry! I can't wait to try pink Kit Kat's, and I love grilled cheese, especially with tomato soup, but I'm not sold on Nitro coffee. Although, Guinness is nitrogen brewed and I love that stuff, so maybe nitro coffee won't be too bad. I'm not a fan of all the dozens of coffee flavors. Give me plain 'ol Folgers, thank you very much. :)
    My husband eats almost anything and I'm super picky, so I don't think we'll ever have the same tastes!

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    1. I bet that couples research was done with a small sample - like 20 couples in one city or something.

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  7. Nitro coffee sounds right up my alley! And I love all things chocolate...well maybe not potato chips.

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    1. I don't know. Chocolate covered potato chips sounds right up my sweet and salty alley

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  8. Interesting. I love dark chocolate-covered cranberries or cherries, so berry-flavored chocolate sounds good, IF they keep the deep chocolate flavor, too.

    I have to wonder if liking the same foods is cause or effect. Do you stay with people who like what you like or learn to adapt to your partner's preferences? I've certainly grown more fond of split pea and lentil soups because my hubby cooks them. And you should taste his lentil mint salad. Yum.

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    1. Oh, I agree with that. Mr. Curtis will now eat asparagus, mushrooms and artichokes

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  9. I like the nitro coffee. Of course, I still need to add cream and sugar :) It's a little pricey, though, for everyday!

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  10. Mel...love this post and my saliva glands are squirting. Chocolate covered potato chips from the 90's are still my favorite. I'm not into all the spicy stuff. Some is too hot! But the Nitro coffee could become a real favorite for me. Such an interesting blog, Mel.

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  11. And now I'd like a strawberry shake (I'm an In and Out shake girl) and grilled cheese sandwich. Thanks, Melinda. :) Fun post!

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  12. What a fun post! I'd give all of these a try, except the sweet and spicy Skittles. Is that real? I love food and trying new flavors and dishes. My husband is not. So that doesn't hold true for us. But like Roz mentioned above, I like the salted caramel trend and the salted chocolate ganache. Yum! Also a fan of the odd flavor combos that have been showing up in ice cream.

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    1. We banned ice cream from our house last year, but I may have to sneak some back in!

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  13. I've heard of nitro-coffee and I think my son tried it. I haven't...yet. It just sounds so strange to me! I do love sweet and spicy though. My friend has a relative who started a company selling a habanero peanut brittle. Very spicy and sweet! And good!

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  14. I want to try nitro-coffee, but I'm really REALLY trying to get away from sweets altogether, so...thanks a lot for blowing it for me, Mel. :-) Cool post!

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