Halloumi burgers, shiitake “bacon” and potato milk. Have you ever heard of these foods?
I hadn’t until I started doing research for a story on recent food trends.
After I wrote the article, I spoke with David Cook, co-owner of Gather Food Studio & Spice Shop, to see if he was familiar with any of these.
“I could write an entire book about what I’ve been noticing trending in the food industry,” he said.
16 food and drink trends for 2022: Buzz-less booze, turmeric, hibiscus and the new happy hour
Many of the trends I’d discovered were on his radar, too — and halloumi burgers are actually sold at Burger King.
“Halloumi is a Middle Eastern cheese that can be grilled,” Cook said. “This sandwich, which I’m seeing ads for, is touted as two deep-fried pieces of halloumi with bacon, lettuce and tomato on a brioche bun.”
To make shiitake bacon, makethymeforhealth.com says to slice the mushrooms and place them in a bowl, then sprinkle with salt, smoked paprika and a touch of tamari. Lightly spray them with oil, toss until evenly coated and bake in the oven until crispy.
“I’ve been making it for years in restaurants,” said Cook, “and I know how easy it is to make and tastes good.”
Cook says mushrooms, in general, are a major protein source in vegetable-based foods.
“Mushrooms have a meaty texture, too,” he said. “They are versatile and take flavors and marinades well. They give you endless possibilities for dinner.”
Cook was very familiar with potato milk as well.
“Potato milk is a relatively new product to the market, though it has been enjoyed in Indonesia for a long time,” he said.
Colorado Springs gets new sandwich shop featuring oven roasted turkey and more
He explained that a Swedish scientist discovered a way to engineer boiled potatoes into an alternative, nut-free milk.
“There is a lot of concern about the CO2 emissions from nut milk production and waste of water,” Cook said. “Almond milk is the worst, using almost 400 liters of water to produce 1 liter of almond milk. ”
He added that when you take into consideration that potatoes grow twice as efficiently as oats and require 50 times less water than almonds to grow, “This new potato milk phenomenon might just be an overnight sensation.”
He also predicts other Middle Eastern foods will start appearing on restaurant menus and grocery shelves. They include (with his comments):
Kushary: “A vegetable grand slam mix of lentils, rice and pasta in a spicy tomato sauce”
Ful medames: “A fava bean stew garnished with all kinds of fresh herbs, peppers, tomatoes and hard-cooked eggs”
Fattah: “A dish similar to ful medames but made with chickpeas instead of fava beans”
Keep an eye on Gather Foods’ class offerings, at gatherfoodstudio.com, as you can expect to see some of these and other trends being taught in the future.
Contact the writer: 636-0271.
contact the writer: 636-0271.