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by Tanya Steel
The Worst
We would love to say goodbye to these trends, fads, and movements, but we've been around for a while, and know these are probably here to stay. Our unanimous picks, in no particular order:
Macho Fast Food: There's no reason to consume an entire day's calories in one breakfast burrito from Hardee's.
Vanity Vodkas: The minute Donald Trump got his own vodka, the clear spirit had jumped the shark.
The Ubiquitous $40 Entree: Rising prices make great food inaccessible to the masses.
Hot Spots You Can't Find: Life is too short to dine at a "restaurant" where you have to go through an underground tunnel and then know the password, or, the owners refuse to reveal the eatery's address or phone number.
Truffles the Size of a Softball: These fancy tubers have their fans, but they're the Paris Hilton of ingredients-expensive, overexposed and bring little to the mix.
Restaurants "In Preview:" They charge the same prices, but aren't accountable for the food because they're in "preview" mode. Restaurateurs need to own up to what they're putting out and the level of service.
The Best
These are a few of the things we give thanks for everyday here at Epicurious. Let us know what your favorite food trends are here:
Carbohydrate Comeback: Bread is bouncing back from the "no carb" diet movement as people eat and make it more than they have in over a decade. Pasta is also on the rise again and grains like quinoa and Israeli couscous are ready for their close-up.
Shopping Bags from Recycled Materials: The green movement became chic this year, as bags like the "This is Not a Plastic Bag" sack sell out after gracing the pages of fashion magazines and Web sites.
Non-Alcoholic Drink Pairings: High-end non-alcoholic drinks paired for food are becoming more popular at restaurants--led by such high-end restaurants as Manhattan's Per Se--as a growing minority of diners don't or can't drink alcohol with dinner.
Portion Control Made Easy: Big name manufacturers are helping us control portion size, with pre-packaged 100-calorie servings and the like. True, it's processed unhealthy foods that are often doing this, but Epicurious editors applaud any effort to prevent eating the whole bag of snack food rather than a portion-controlled size. |
