Our fourth blog post comes from our dear friend Chris Osburn AKA Tiki Chris, a London-based American expat, photographer and blogger over at tikichris.com.
We asked Chris about what he thinks the current trends in the food and drinks industry are and here’s what he had to say:
Did you know I can predict the future? Me neither. Because I can’t. Nobody can. But isn’t it fun to punditize (yes, I made that up) when offered an opportunity? And that’s just what the lovely folks at Clementine Communications have afforded me with the invitation to submit a guest post. So here is a trio of trends that I wholeheartedly welcome and I reckon are set to shape the food and drink scene over the remaining months of 2018 and into next year.
Vegetarian Subterfuge
Hey meat eaters! D’yever find yourself gleefully gorging on a super yummy dish only to realise its vegetarian or <GASP!> even vegan? It’s been happening to this carnivore more and more – and I love it. Don’t get me wrong. I do not wish for a world devoid of BBQ, rib eye or jamon serrano (not to mention cheese, ice cream or honey). But I appreciate increasingly that meat should be a treat, and that quality should trump quantity almost every time. So I love seeing a growing number of eateries slipping in non-meat dishes with a bit of stealth and little concern of alienating the carnos. No longer is the vegetarian option only for desperate vegetarians who must make do with some thrown together nut roast, slightly amped up salad or just a meat dish sans the meat in order to dine socially. It’s for everybody who savours healthful, flavoursome cooking. I hope this vegetarian subterfuge is not only to be a short-lived trend but will become a firmly rooted menu mainstay.
Best recent example of this was my mid-May dinner at a restaurant called Clementine (what a coincidence!) in San Antonio, Texas. Chef John Russ’ Grilled Okra with blackberries, almonds and feta rocked my world. So did his ricotta cavatelli with broccoli top pesto, Sichuan peppercorns, toasted pecans and Parmesan.
No more shushing if it’s not Champagne
Not all that sparkles is Champagne – and this is not necessarily a bad thing. I’m glad to see people wising up to the fact that all sorts of Crémants from across France, Catalan cava, English Sparkling Wine, Trentodoc and Franciacorta from northern Italy and an assortment of other fine fizzes are indeed just that – fine – and by no means need to be poured with hushed words or obscured labels. I say chin chin to the connoisseurs bucking tradition to celebrate choice and variety.
One quaff I reckon is well worth keeping a lookout for is Ferrari Perlé Nero Riserva. This vintage Blanc de Noirs Trentodoc (100% Pinot Noir) is complex, supremely structured and as well rounded as a 12-course feast.
More drinks, fewer drunks
Similar to what I was saying about a meat-free existence, I really don’t want to live in a teetotalitarian (yep made one up too) society or even consider life without the occasional dram, snifter or tumbler of top shelf hard stuff. But trying to catch up with friends over drinks when they’re too snookered to carry on a coherent conversation can be confounding. Too much of a good thing too fast can spoil the fun. When it comes to taking sociable sips, conviviality is key. So the burgeoning demand for alcohol-free spirits, low ABV booze, mocktails and the less potent like is A-Okay by me.
Lately, my preferred go-to quencher is Rosso della Regina, a herby and bittersweet vermouth from age-old family run Turin-based producer Chazalettes. With an ABV of around 16.5%, this tasteful Italian queen is hardly a Shirley Temple but she is refreshingly subtle and won’t wear you out too early in an evening.
Cheers!
Thanks to the lovely team at Clementine for giving me this chance to spout off (they know me well!) about a few trends. It’s always fun to think about what’s tasty and it’s always a delight working with Clementine Communications. It will be interesting to see what happens with respect to the three trends I mentioned and how they will develop over the next several months.
