"2007" news and stories

Just a few weeks ago I wrote about Ice Wine, nicknamed Canada's Liquid Gold, that luscious and intense dessert wine produced from grapes that freeze on their vines. It was much to my horror to hear that it is possible that there will be no Ice Wine from Canada this year!

Canada produces some of the best Ice Wines in the world. Normally the grapes are harvested during a freeze some time between mid-November and the end of December. Due to the mild winter this year. as of early January there have been no freezes cold enough for harvesting in any of the vineyards in Canada or neighboring US this winter. I was amazed to hear this because of all the news about blizzards and avalanches in Colorado, but then I thought about my local NY City weather where we are having the warmest winter, with no snow fall, since the late 1800's. Call it global warming, long term weather cycles, what you will, but No Ice Wine?

While we're all busily listing the best restaurants we've eaten at in the last year, Adam Platt, from New York Magazine, already has a list put together of where to eat in New York during the next one. He gives his picks for the best eateries in fifteen different categories: Vegas on the Hudson (Buddakan, Del Posto), The Out-of-Towners (L'Atelier de Joël Robuchon), Neighborhood Chic (The Little Owl), Haute Italian (Café Boulud), Haute Barnyard (Telepan), Real Barnyard (Daisy May's BBQ USA), Gourmet Bar Food (Degustation), Makeover Madness (Tocqueville), Designer Steaks (Craftsteak), Nightclub Chinese (Shun Lee West), The Great Lunch (Adrienne's Pizza Bar), Brooklyn Ramble (The Farm on Adderley), Breakfast Ramble (Zucco: Le French Diner), Cocktail Madness (Employees Only), Dessert (Russian Tea Room, Pinkberry and Chikalicious) . And there are many more listed in each category!

Individual and themed picks aside, there are also lists of the ten best new restaurants in NYC (all contained in the above list), the ten most decadent dishes in town, the best up and coming chefs and the five best egg dishes in New York.

Take Platt's advice and you'll be eating out every day for the rest of the year. But if his picks are on the money, you probably won't mind one bit.

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The New Year is always full of possibilities. There are meals to be eaten, recipes to try and, of course, a slew of new food trends that will shape the way we eat and what food issues will be at the forefront of the news. Of all the trends that seemed to be pushing towards the forefront in recent months, these are some of those that look like they're about to have a breakout year.

Single Origin Chocolates - Dark chocolate was the hot item last year, but more companies, including Hershey's, are introducing and promoting single origin chocolates with cocoa beans from one country - or even one plantation - for their unique flavor profiles.

Healthy Soft Drinks - Jones Soda has eliminated high fructose corn syrup from their recipes. Enviga has been fairly successful so far, thanks to the large amount of publicity that it has received, and Diet Coke Plus will be coming to stores in a few months. Look for other soda companies to follow suit.

Healthy Food Labels - Hannaford supermarket introduced a labeling scheme of their own to direct shoppers to healthier foods and the traffic light system was a success in the UK. Don't be surprised to see more obvious messages about what is and is not good for you.

Every niche in the food world is going to see their share of trends in the new year, from fast food to the ultra-luxe havens of molecular gastronomy, and Epicurious has just put in their two cents as to what some of those trends will be. Although they don't come right out and say so, it is pretty easy to see that their trends don't apply directly to all diners/cooks. Based on their selections, it appears that their picks are for the gourmet food niche. Not that there's anything wrong with that, but it's good to keep some perspective when reading forcasts for trends like number one on their list:

1. An increase in the number of "foie gras speakeasies", "private clubs having secret dinners, feasting on the forbidden fattened duck liver."
2. Iberico ham from Spain will become wildly popular.
3. More people will shop at farmers' markets and start to grow their own produce.
4. There will be more ethnic fine dining restaurants.
5. Fair trade will become a buzzword in the same vein as "organic" was this year.
6. More quality bread will be baked in restaurants.
7. Spicy drinks and cocktails will be big in restaurant bars. Jalapeno margarita, anyone?
8. Hot dogs will be the new hamburgers.
9. Small coffee roasters will be the new coffee trend (or you could just roast at home).
10. Consumers will continue to care more about the quality of the food they are buying/eating, not just the quantity.

Thanks to the trickle down effect of trends, the more accessible ones will hit the mainstream quickly (more hot dogs (#8) by summer), but the others might take more time to gain widespread popularity.

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As hard as it is to believe, the New Year is almost upon us and with that new year comes a new forecast of product trends from the consumer research group Mintel International. It looks like sustainability isn't going to be as hot an issue as the local food movement would like it to be - not yet, anyway. It will still gain ground with mainstream consumers, but by and large the focus is not yet on production. People are more focused on personal wellness, getting more specific than last year's general interest in "superfoods." Mintel predicts that Amazonian foods - including açaí and other rainforest botanicals that promise over-the-top health benefits - will really hit the mainstream through companies that are known for healthy products, like Odwalla. Other trends that they are forecasting for food processing and sales include an increased targeting of baby boomers and teens; revitalizing interest in traditional, quality (not on-the-go) breakfast foods; more web-based marketing, including more contests and giveaways; and a simplification of marketing slogans and packaging.

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