Trendy Recipes and Foodie Bloggers

I write a weekly column for a local website, Castanet, about foodie stuff and last week I featured some of the popular food trends of 2015. Food and eating has become more trendy in itself, with quotes everywhere and information to be had behind every click of the mouse.

There were some interesting recipes I found in my list, so I thought it would be fun to include them in my archives here. I’m also going to mention here some of the bloggers and chefs I find myself returning to often for recommendations and ideas. I hope you enjoy this meander into the web of seemingly infinite opportunities!

My first mention was BURGERS – go figure. All kinds of weird and wonderful ingredients are possible… I don’t know about some combinations (a squid slider?!) but I did have oyster burgers a few times and they were delicious. My favourite recipe for this is from Jamie Oliver – his Carpetbag Burger (great name too, don’t you think?)

Next up was WAFFLES, with savoury toppings. I do have a great recipe already, for Pecan Waffles. They are equally good with fruit compote and yogurt, maple syrup and sausages, or BBQ – chicken or pulled pork both work 🙂  I’m also a big fan of the food truck, Wafels & Dinges. I got to eat from one of their trucks on a foodie trip to New York a bunch of years ago; now they are so big you can do a tour of their factory in Brooklyn.

The trend of making up words entered into the next entry, “BRINNER”. Well, my mom used to serve apple pancakes for lunch on a cold winter day, so waffles and BBQ for dinner wouldn’t be a big reach. Years ago when I lived in France it wasn’t uncommon for us to make a salad for dinner on a busy weeknight, with a bit of bacon and poached egg. If you like poached eggs, it’s a nice change from meat and potatoes. You can pair some interesting wines with it too.

an all-time fave, the PB and J from Doughnut Plant NYC

GYROS and DONUTS are foods that aren’t exactly practical for many to try at home, but it can be fun to find a local haunt and support them. Big cities are full of fun ethnic foods and fusion combinations that can broaden your horizons.  This speaks to the next trend in my list, the I DARE YOU foods.  In smaller communities, my experience is that farmer’s markets can hold wonderful secrets (and vendors often know about places that use weird and wonderful ingredients).

CRAFT BEVERAGES are also very trendy, and the locations and atmosphere have become increasingly competitive and innovative – more fun for customers. My humble advice here is check out social media and look for knowledgeable staff at establishments who can help make recommendations for you. Here’s a  great craft beer primer and a few cocktail possiblities to get you started.

Preserved foods are a big category, and a few items are especially trendy. SALT COD or baccalau as it’s called in the Mediterranean, is a tasty fish. I loved the flavours when we sampled it for the first time in a tapas bar in San Sebastian, Spain. To use it you have to rehydrate it and cut the saltiness which takes a couple of days, so if you want to cheat you can try a recipe with fresh haddock instead. Mario Batali has recorded a traditional favourite salt cod recipe from Italy if you’re game.

My inspiration for the article was PICKLES and so I have to include a link for you on that topic. One of my favourite bloggers is Deb Perelman from Smitten Kitchen and she has a great recipe for a sort of pickled salad that is designed for people who aren’t pickle fans, so that should motivate just about everyone! 

Whether you try any of these recipes, or just enjoy a bit of armchair virtual nibbling then Bon Appetit. And if you’re looking for some other bloggers to follow, might I suggest checking out the Saveur Magazine awards list? There are lots to choose from, including a Special Interest category that has bloggers with dietary restrictions or preferences and other passions they want to share!