The 2017 Flavor Forecast® has gotten my culinary mixology juices flowing. At first glance, the beverage potential of this year’s predictions may not be obvious to the naked eye –but look closely and you will find flavor platforms & ingredients that are sure to inspire your next, best beverage. To help get your creative juices flowing, below are some concepts to help bring this year’s trends into focus.
Rise & Shine to Global Tastes
There's always going to be two breakfast occasions: your everyday quick and easy meals, and your weekend brunch occasions. The latter really lends itself to exploration and sharing, so twists on the familiar are very welcome.
Amarillo By Morning: Using yellow tomatoes, this Peruvian Bloody Mary gets its spicy kick and golden color from the Peruvian pepper, aji amarillo.
Vegan Forbidden Rice Smoothie: Using coconut milk as the creamy component along with seasonal fruits, the forbidden rice adds a nutty complexity to this morning pick me up.
Egg Yolks: The Sunny Side of Flavor
Often overlooked in cocktails, the egg yolk's magical ability to emulsify add richness and body without adding heaviness to a beverage.
Sunny Sidecar Up: The familiar flavors of orange juice and eggs usually conjure up images of breakfast, this twist on the sidecar add a bit more indulgence to the original.
Pink Gin Flip: An up and coming profile in beverages, the flip is any cocktail that uses eggs but not cream as a means to achieve a luxurious mouth feel. This one uses gin and red wine to give it complexity.
Plancha: Flat-Out Grilling
Grilling liquids conceptually sounds like an errand for fools, but the plancha really gives an amazing depth to sweeter drinks by giving it a bitter counterbalance.
Plancha Burnt Grapefruit Crush: By heavily searing the outside of a grapefruit before squeezing it for juice gives the usually sweet fruit crush drinks a barrel aged complexity.
Blackened White Sangria: Extending the plancha method to fruits in a traditional white sangria ties together flavors of the grill and summertime.
Modern Med
Using Eastern Mediterranean ingredients and flavor profile with Eastern European techniques is a great new way to discover the flavors of ancient cuisines.
Baharat Mulled Cider: Baharat seasoning uses black pepper, cardamom, clove, cinnamon, cumin, nutmeg and coriander. When blended together with cider, these make a beverage similar to mulled wine and is fantastic warm or chilled.
Barberries & Mint Blanc: Popular in Persian cooking barberries give a tart and bitter bite, add mint and creamy Greek yogurt and this drink gives a cool refreshing summer drink.
Sweet on Pepper
After hiding in plain sight for so many years, pepper is finally capturing the spotlight. Its up-front bite and lingering sensation offer the next wave of spicy flavor.
Peppered Pina: Slow roasted pineapples concentrate its tropical fruity and honey flavors while mezcal highlights both the burn as well as the woody, herbal nature of black pepper
The Hot Date (pictured): Hello, happy hour! This unique Black Pepper Date Cocktail features a tongue-tingling simple syrup starring the contrasting flavors of bold black pepper and naturally sweet Medjool dates.
Learn more about the 2017 Flavor Forecast®.
