Issue link: http://osercommunicationsgroup.uberflip.com/i/232176
12 EDITORIAL GOURMET NEWS JANUARY 2014 www.gourmetnews.com GOURMET NEWS ® FROM THE EDITOR WWW.GOURMETNEWS.COM PUBLISHER Each New Year, foodies, specialty food producers and industry experts compete with one another to predict what the next twelve months will bring the world of gourmet cuisine. There is obviously a great deal of money involved in predicting what will be the next big thing in specialty food, but there is also a considerable amount of bragging rights reserved for the person who is first to point out what will be this year's cronut or Sriracha. Consensus already seems to be growing around a number of culinary themes that are expected to dominate the food scene in 2014. The use of tea as an ingredient, for example, is one that has already been popping up in restaurants in the past year, but consumers can expect to see a lot more of this in 2014. Get ready for everything from tea-infused ice cream to tea leaf-smoked meats. When it comes to drinks, many are predicting this will be the year for artisanal fizzy refreshments. Specialty food companies are coming out with uniquely flavored soft drinks for the adult palate, and restaurant chefs are offering patrons their own house-made bubbly concoctions. Other trends on the horizon include the use of seaweed as an ingredient, the proliferation of Indian, Asian and Middle Eastern flavors and the explosion of ramen noodles as an ingredient in gourmet cooking. There are other trends, however, that experts are perhaps going out on a limb to predict as the next big thing. The New York Daily News, for example, predicts that pigeon is on tap to become a popular protein in 2014. Fox News similarly predicts a growth in the popularity of oily, fishy-tasting seafood, such as sardines and mackerel. Meanwhile, the experts at spice company McCormick see a bright future for Chamoy Sauce, an until-now-niche Mexican condiment made from apricot, lime, chilies and spices. Of course, the passing of one year into another does not signal the onset of an entirely new food culture, and a number of important culinary movements that have been popular in the past few years are sure to remain with us in 2014 as well. Molecular gastronomy continues to be a popular foodie fad, with chefs routinely using liquid nitrogen and agar agar in scientifically crafting their cuisine. Spicy foods are here to stay, with food companies falling over one another to develop the hottest rub or the spiciest salsa. And gluten-free cookery is not going anywhere anytime soon, as new wheat-free alternatives to traditional breads, pastries and pastas are being introduced every day. Trendspotting is of course an important part of what we do here at Gourmet News as well, and we hope that reading each issue puts you a little more in touch with what is in, what is out and what is up-andcoming in the gourmet world. In this issue, we feature a number of important food themes that are sure to be hot in 2014. In my feature on seafood, for example, I discuss what I believe is going to be an important trend in protein this year: salmon. Seafood companies are using salmon to craft everything from burgers to pepperoni, making this healthy ingredient particularly versatile. Another ongoing trend that is sure to stay put in 2014 is the pickling and preserving movement. In this month's Supplier Business section, we talk with the co-owner of one company that is at the forefront of the gourmet pickling phenomenon, Gordy's Pickle Jar. Grass-fed beef is something that more and more foodies are coming around to, and Lorrie Baumann addresses just why this protein is becoming so popular in her cover story on the trend. Finally, it seems that Americans just can not get enough hot sauce these days. Check out our Marketwatch in this issue on the hot sauce mania currently sweeping the nation. I can't wait to head out to this year's Winter Fancy Food show in San Francisco this month to discover what new and exciting food trends are waiting in the wings. Who knows? I might just find the next big thing for 2015 a whole year in advance. GN Lee M. Oser ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Jeff Rosano jeff_r@oser.com EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Lorrie Baumann lorrie_b@oser.com EDITOR Lucas Witman editor@oser.com ASSOCIATE EDITOR David Bowers GRAPHIC DESIGNER Yasmine Brown CUSTOMER SERVICE MANAGER Jaysun Freightman ACCOUNT MANAGERS Jules Denton Ryan Harter Lynn Hilton CIRCULATION DIRECTOR Product Wrap-up & Classified Sales Tara Neal tara_n@oser.com PUBLISHING OFFICE 1877 N. Kolb Road P.O. Box 1056 – Lucas Witman, Editor 520.721.1300 lucas_w@oser.com Tucson, AZ 85715 520.721.1300 Fax 520.721.6300 SUBSCRIBER SERVICES Gourmet News P.O. Box 30520 Tucson, AZ 85751 520.721.1300 MEMBER OF: PRESIDENT Lee M. Oser Periodicals postage paid at Tucson, AZ, and additional mailing office. Gourmet News (ISSN 1052-4630) is published monthly by Oser Communications Group, 1877 North Kolb Road, Tucson, AZ 85715; 520.721.1300. Publisher assumes no responsibility for unsolicited material or prices quoted in newspaper. Contributors are responsible for proper release of proprietary classified information. ©2014 by Oser Communications Group. All rights reserved. Reproduction, in whole or in part, without written permission of the publisher, is expressly prohibited. Back issues, when available, cost $7 each within the past 12 months, $12 each prior to the past 12 months. Back orders must be paid in advance either by check or charged to American Express, Visa, or Master Card. Gourmet News is distributed without charge in North America to qualified professionals in the retail and distribution channels of the specialty foods and hardgoods trade; paid subscriptions cost $65 annually to the U.S. and Canada. All foreign subscriptions cost $150 annually to cover air delivery. All payments must be made in U.S. funds and drawn on a U.S. bank. For subscriber services, including subscription information, call 520.721.1300. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Gourmet News, 1877 North Kolb Road, Tucson, AZ 85715.