The Top 3 Food and Drink Trends From Summer 2017

Chowhound

It’s hard to believe that August is here and fall is just around the corner. We’ve barely made a dent in our hot weather supply of rosé and some of you people are already talking about Halloween, Thanksgiving flights, and Pumpkin Spice Lattes. Stop the madness!

As a way to protest the winding down of summer months, we’re going to continue eating and drinking the foods and bevs that have defined June and July’s thriving dining scene. Chowhound Executive Editor Carleigh Connelly sat down with the folks at Cheddar to discuss the popularity of three specific trends and why they’re worth your time and money.

Check out the clip here, as well as a breakdown of what was discussed below.

Filipino Food

Chowhound

Whether it’s bright purple ube, spicy sisig, or the coveted chicken adobo, there’s no denying that filipino food is making a big impact on the culinary world. In fact, many LA and NY-based restaurants are dedicating entire menus to the Spanish, Malaysian, Chinese, Japanese, Indian, and American-inspired cuisine. Google searches for “filipino food” have doubled since 2012 and the range of ingredients and proteins, from noodles and rice to pork and chicken, means there is a dish for everyone. 

Charcoal-Dyed Everything

Little Damage Ice Cream Shop

In direct protest to the rainbow unicorn craze, many establishments have incorporated activated charcoal into their recipes. Sure, there is something entertaining about drinking or eating something that’s dyed black, but it also has a bevy of health benefits including detoxification and hangover curing abilities. That being said, anything with charcoal is more fun going in than coming out. Does everyone remember the infamous black bun Whopper? Not a good time.

Chilled Red Wine

Shutterstock

Who says you can’t drink your red wine and chill it too? Someone who’s never heard of Lambrusco, that’s who. The Italian, effervescent wine has become a Happy Hour staple for easy sip-seeking winos. Just be sure it isn’t too cold. When a wine is chilled below 50 degrees, its flavor is masked by the lower temperature. The more you know.

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What Is the Difference Between Grits and Polenta?

Recipes for grits and polenta look almost identical. Bring a liquid (water, milk, or chicken stock) to a simmer on the stovetop, add cornmeal, and stir intermittently for at least half an hour. The final products, both porridge-like in texture, are nearly twins. Other than the fact that grits are an American dish, while polenta represents Italian cooking traditions, what’s the difference?

The primary distinction is a done deal before you even start cooking. It has to do with the type of corn used to create the cornmeal, as well as how the corn was milled.

Cornmeal for polenta is produced from flint corn, a variety with a small starchy interior surrounded by a hard exterior (hence the reference to flint). Over time, Europeans came to grind the corn through their mills multiple times, resulting in fine grains of a uniform size. Due to the harder texture of flint corn, polenta can be described as grainier than grits. It’s also more prone to maintain a cake-like shape when it cools and can even be served on a wooden bread board.

Fun fact: Today, the word “polenta” refers almost exclusively to a corn-based dish. However, the word predates the 17th century arrival of corn in Italy. Before European explorers returned to the “Old World” and introduced corn to their native agriculture scenes, the word “polenta” was used to describe all manner of gruels made from indigenous grains and beans including farro, millet, chickpeas, and fava beans.

Back in the U.S., cornmeal for grits is produced from a variety known as dent corn. Dent corn contains more soft starch than flint corn, a quality that produces a smooth and creamy final product. In contrast to the flint cornmeal used for polenta, dent corn for grits is often ground through the mill just one time, resulting in coarser grains.

Before we move on to talk of butter, cheese, shrimp, and other tempting toppings, there are two more vocab words you should know if you want to call yourself a true grits expert. The first is “hominy.” You probably recognize this word, often spotted alongside “grits,” but what exactly is it? Hominy refers to corn that has been nixtamalized. On top of being a word that has most likely caused many caused tearful eliminations from spelling bees, nixtamalization refers to a process by which corn kernels are soaked in an alkaline solution. Quick science class refresher: that means a base with a pH above 7. In this case, the base serves to loosen the hull that encapsulates the corn kernel, causing its starchy insides to swell. This mineral bath also alters the chemical make-up of the corn, releasing vitamins, nutrients, and flavors. Once the nixtamalization process is complete, the kernels are then re-dried and ground into an even more flavorful cornmeal.

Now that we’ve studied up on the science and history of these two dishes, it’s time for a snack break!

Banana Maple Grits

Andrea’s Recipes

It’s always time for grits or polenta! They have a place at the table for every meal, starting with breakfast—go sweet. Get the recipe.

Polenta with Brussels Sprouts and Sausage

Caldry’s Kitchen

Or go savory. And, in this instance, paired with trendy brussels sprouts and salty sausage. Get the recipe.

Cheesy Shrimp and Grits

MyRecipes

One of the most iconic grits dishes is of course shrimp and grits. Grits enthusiasts seem to agree that this dish first garnered national attention thanks to a 1985 New York Times review of Crook’s Corner restaurant in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. To get that exact recipe, you’ll need to check out the chef’s 1989 book Bill Neal’s Southern Cooking, but this one looks mighty tasty too! Get the recipe.

Chicken Parmesan Meatballs with Creamy Polenta

Little Spice Jar

For lunch and dinner, polenta can either be served in place of bread as an appetizer or, as in this case, as the main event, topped with sauces and meats. Get the recipe.

Baked Polenta Fries

Delightful Delicious Delovely

What to do with leftover polenta? Bake it, grill it, or fry it! Get the recipe.

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No-Bake Chocolate and Peanut Butter Cookies

No bake cookies will always and forever remind me of my mom, who made tons of them when my brother and I were teenagers — probably because they were super easy, could be made with pantry staples, and were perfect for that time between extra-curriculars and dinner.

Plus, they included both cocoa and peanut butter, which is basically one of the best combinations ever.

Continue reading "No-Bake Chocolate and Peanut Butter Cookies" »

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Imperial Frozen Foods Completes Purchase of Greystone Foods

The strategic asset acquisition extends Imperial's capabilities and product offerings to include frozen vegetables.

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Creamy Almond Mughlai Cauliflower

This vegetarian side dish or main course features roasted cauliflower in a fragrant, creamy sauce, spiced with ginger, cinnamon, anise, and more, and studded with plump raisins and slivers of crisp almonds. Get Recipe!

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Refresco Purchases Cott Beverages

Cott Beverages is one of the world's largest producers of beverages on behalf of retailers, brand owners and distributors, producing various types of non-alcohol beverages.

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Carapelli Olive Oil Blends

Carapelli combines old world craftsmanship and new world standards, a perfect addition to a healthy lifestyle and enhancing the everyday cooking moments.

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Small Town Brewery Citrus-Flavored Ale

Not Your Father's Mountain Ale is a bold, invigorating brew made with a fresh, crisp finish and notes of citrus.

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Vanilla Bean Panna Cotta

Panna cotta is one of my favorite desserts, equally delicious as a delicate dish all on its own or as a creamy canvas for seasonal fruits. Get Recipe!

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Coca-Cola Zero Sugar

Since its 2005 introduction, Coca-Cola Zero™ has refreshed hundreds of millions of fans across America with its real Coca-Cola taste and zero calories. From its US introduction into the Coca-Cola® trademark brand portfolio to its global expansion, the brand is sold in nearly 160 countries around the world.

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How to Roast the Perfect Beet

The beet is often relegated to the Thanksgiving table in America, where children conveniently push the unfortunate pickled relish to the side of their plate to focus on the turkey and gravy instead. It’s unfortunate that the beet has such a bad reputation since this highly flavorful root vegetable is packed with antioxidants, magnesium, and fiber and when roasted correctly, adds rich, earthy flavor to a recipe.

The beet originated in the Mediterranean and up until the nineteenth century, when French chefs realized the flavor and color virtues of the root bulb itself, it was the leafy greens that were consumed by ancient European civilizations. The Romans relegated the beet bulb to the medicine cabinet and also believed it incited amorous emotions.

Today, beets are dehydrated and ground into colorful powders that are used to tint bacon, ice cream, and even canned tomato sauce. And due to their high sugar content, beets are also valued as a sweetener with sugar beets supplying the world with thirty percent of its sugar. Beet juice is also used in some cultures as makeup to tint the cheeks and lips with a rosy hue.

Beets come in a vibrant array of colors from deep ruby, gold, white, and even candy striped. When roasted properly, these healthy flavor bombs are sure to find a prominent place on your kitchen table and will come to be seen as more than a dreaded Thanksgiving garnish.

Here’s how to roast your beets:

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
2. To prepare the beets, first cut off the leaves and their stems with a chef’s knife. Leave about two inches of stem attached to the beet. This makes an ideal handle once the beet is ready to be peeled after the roasting process is complete.
3. Reserve the greens for another use. They are lovely when braised, sauteed in olive oil and then drizzled with balsamic and sprinkled with crunchy sea salt, or served in a salad. They will keep in the refrigerator for up to two days once they are removed from the beet.
4. Rinse the beets under cold running water to remove residue and pat dry with a paper towel.
5. Place the beets in a large bowl. Drizzle them with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Toss the beets until they are glistening with oil.
6. Wrap each beet individually in a double layer of aluminum foil. Be sure they are wrapped securely and completely to prevent dripping. Beets the size of a golf ball or smaller can be wrapped together but larger beets should be wrapped separately.
7. Roast the beets on a sheet tray for between 55 to 70 minutes. The sheet tray ensures that your oven will remain clean should dripping occur.
8. Smaller beets will cook more quickly. Check for doneness after 45 minutes by poking the beets with a skewer or a fork. If they are tender, remove from the oven using a pair of tongs. Check each beet individually because they will have different cooking times depending upon their size.
9. Once the beets are cool enough to handle but still warm, discard the foil and peel by holding the stem handle in one hand and a double layer of paper towels in the other. The peeling should slide off easily as long as the beets are still warm.
10. Beets will keep in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to one week.

And here’s how to eat them:

Salt Roasted Beets with Goat Cheese and Toasted Walnuts

Alexandra’s Kitchen

This recipe is so simple, but still packs a flavorful punch with a tangy kick from goat cheese and a toasty crunch from the walnuts. Get the recipe.

Roasted Beets with Orange and Rosemary

The Lemon Bowl

Citrus is a beet’s perfect dancing partner because its bright flavor perks up the earthy notes of the beet. Rosemary adds depth and nuance to this easy to prepare yet elegant recipe. Get the recipe.

Roasted Beet Salad with Tahini Sauce

Heather Christo

The tahini sauce in this recipe adds an exotic flavor component to this vegan dish that is made vibrant with lemon juice and sweet with a drizzle of maple syrup. Get the recipe.

Coconut Oil Roasted Beets

Happy Healthy Mama

Jump on the coconut trend by swapping out olive oil for coconut oil. It adds a level of sweetness straight from the islands and lends roasted beets an unexpected hint of tropical flavor. Get the recipe.

Roasted Beet-Almond Spaghetti

Tastemade

It doesn’t get any more fun or healthy than this recipe that swaps out traditional pasta sauce for roasted beets and almonds. Once you get the hang of the technique, this is sure to become a go-to recipe when something special is required on the dinner table. Get the recipe.

Beet Ice Cream

Arcadian Ash

Beet ice cream might sound unappealing, but the sugars in beets lend themselves naturally to ice cream and the intense beet color infuses it with eye-popping fuchsia. Get the recipe.

— Head photo: flickr (Rod Waddington).

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