From golden milk drinks on social media to its increased use in Western recipes, turmeric is being rediscovered as a healthy halo ingredient that stands out both in color and its distinct taste. Of course, the ingredient itself is far from new — its use as a culinary spice can be traced back over 4,000 years — but when I noticed the modern turmeric boom, I immediately became interested in incorporating it into our beverage development. Playing with emerging ingredients to make great tasting products is my passion so I just had to experiment with turmeric!
And while beloved for its vibrant color, characteristic earthy aroma and pungent, slightly bitter flavor, turmeric in its original form presents a challenge as it does not dissolve without the presence of fat. With increased interest in this trending ingredient, we at McCormick developed an easy to use, natural, water-soluble turmeric extract to overcome this solubility challenge across all beverage formats.
Inspired by golden milk, I developed a golden water: a sparkling water with a touch of turmeric. The extract delivered a beautiful yellow hue, hint of turmeric notes and exactly the right amount of dryness in the aftertaste. Taking note of the hard seltzer boom, you can also imagine the joy to sip from a golden hard seltzer. Pairing turmeric with tropical fruit flavors like pineapple or with citrus notes works well. Turmeric combinations with lemon or yuzu are my favorite.
I’m also excited by the range of golden plant-based alternative “yogurt” drinks we developed: refreshing delicious nutrition. I can’t wait to apply turmeric to more drink creations!
Our natural turmeric extract can offer flavor and a healthy halo to your next product innovation. To learn more, reach out to your McCormick account manager or contact us today.
