If 2010 was all about local and sustainable food, I’m hearing that 2011 will be all about the Pie. At least this is the prediction from Andrew Freeman & Co, a US based firm that consults on marketing to hotels and restaurants around the US. In their 2011 Trend List, pies were listed as the next cupcake. From sweet to savoury, deep fried (oh my!), and bite sized minis, pies are set to dominate the food scene in the new year.
Here are some other predictions from the list :
- New Mom & Pop – self-financed/self-built restaraunts with less than 40 seats, designed for friends or family where the owners’ hands touch every ingredient and every part of the restaurant.
- Single Purpose Restaurants – that serve variations on one thing.
- Powders, crumbles, dusts and dirts – never has it been so good to be dirty!
- Haute Dogs – move over burgers, gourmet hot dogs from duck sausages with pate and red wine mustard to lamb and pork merguez served with fig chutney will feature more prominently on menus in 2011.
- In 2011 vegetarians will have more to smile about as chefs start to realize that there’s more to a restaurant menu than meat.
- Popsicles – spiked, salty, sweet and savory!
- Bellies – here I was thinking I would lose the belly in 2011 – apparently not! We’ll be seeing not only more of pork bellies in the new year but also lamb, and goat even.
- More Food Apps – creative marketers are taking advantage of the popularity of the new Ipad. Take for example Murdoch Book’s Around the World in 80 recipes or Martha Stewart’s Cookie app or Martha Stewart’s Living offering among other things, built in timers, shopping lists, videos and step by step instructions.
The list also covers some hot ingredients that will feature prominently in 2011: pimiento cheese, whey, kumquats, smoked anything (think olive oil, butter, and cumin), hay, popcorn, hummus, pretzels and honey.
As for me? In 2011 I’d like to see deviled eggs make a come back. Whenever my husband travels the first question I ask him is “did you miss me?” and the next question I ask is “what did you eat?”. On his last trip a few weeks ago, of all things, he raved most about the deviled eggs he had at The Spotted Pig.
“Can you make deviled eggs?” he asked.
A quick search on the internet led me to this recipe. My husband says this is an exact replica of what he had in New York so I’m sticking to the recipe – no tweaks at all. I hope you try to make it yourself, it’s perfect as a canape for the holiday season as well – and really, the more people that make it, the more my prediction will come true!
- 12 large eggs
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
- 1 tablespoon mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 2 teaspoons white wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon malt vinegar
- Maldon sea salt
- Peperoncino red chili flakes, pulsed in a spice grinder into approximate 1/16th-inch pieces.
- 3 tablespoons thinly sliced chives
1. Place eggs in single layer in medium saucepan. Cover with cold water about 2 cm higher than the eggs. Place over high heat, bring to a simmer, shut off heat, and wait for at least ten minutes (for medium and 17 minutes for large). Drain eggs, and peel under cool running water. With thin knife, carefully slice eggs in half.
2. Place egg yolks in bowl of food processor. Add olive oil, mayonnaise, mustard, and both vinegars and process until smooth puree forms, scraping down sides of bowl as necessary. Season to taste with salt.
3. Transfer mixture to pastry bag fitted with plain tip or to plastic zipper-lock bag with corner cut off. Select 12 best egg white halves (reserve remaining egg whites for another use), and pipe filling mixture into them by starting outside the indentation, completely filling the indentation, and overflowing the other side of it, leaving a curled “tail” at the end.
4. Sprinkle eggs with Maldon salt, Peperoncino, and chives. Drizzle with olive oil, and serve.
When making deviled eggs, here are a few tips:
- The older the eggs you use, the better. To test whether your eggs are fresh, place the egg in a bowl of water. Eggs that lay on their side are fresh which eggs that stand on one end are older and better to use as they are easier to peel.
- To get the egg yolks centered, lay the eggs on their sides for a day before use.
- Cook eggs in one layer with about 2 cm of water above the eggs as using too much water will throw of the timing for cooking the eggs.
- Do not overcook the eggs as this creates a green layer to form around the yolk.