McCormick's Flavor Forecast 2011 List

McCormick is launching its Flavor Forecast for 2011. What does this mean to a foodie? Just like how the latest fashion trends change every year, so do flavor combinations. According to McCormick:

As people have become more adventurous and seek global cuisines, the McCormick Flavor Forecast has been on the leading edge of identifying emerging tastes and trends.

The flavor experts at McCormick were joined by a trendsetting group of chefs and food personalities to identify this collection of influential undercurrents that will shape the way we eat in the year ahead of beyond."

Being a huge Top Chef fan (too bad I didn't watch it until season 7 and am now attempting to catch up), I was pretty excited to see some of chefs and food personalities included Richard Blais (season 4 which I still have to watch and All Stars, which he better win Wednesday), Michael Voltaggio (season 6 which I still have to watch), and Johnny Iuzzini (judge from Just Desserts). Being a home baker, I think it's great to recognize some of the contributing chefs.

I'll admit most of these flavorings I would never have considered, but part of being a foodie is discovering new things. Here is McCormick's Top 10 Flavor Pairings for 2011:

1. Fennel and Peri-Peri Sauce
2. Pickling Spice and Rice Vinegar
3. Roasted Curry Powder and Wild Mushrooms
4. Caramelized Honey and Adzuki Red Beans
5. Ancho Chile Pepper and Hibiscus
6. Thyme and Stone Fruits
7. Mustard Seed and Vermouth
8. Cilantro and Nut Butters
9. Herbes de Provence and Popcorn
10. Green Peppercorn and Goat's Milk

Are there any pairings on the list you want to try? For more information and recipes for each pairing, visit McCormick's Flavor Forecast page. I made a tasty dish using cilantro and peanut butter, and hopefully later this week, I'll be pairing mustard seed and vermouth. Stay tuned this week for Chicken and Cilantro Pesto Pasta and a giveaway.