To enter new year ‘big’, the Food Channel gave us the Food Design Trends for 2014 – this means ‘hot’ (literally) food insights for 2014.

The Midwestern Food Movement

The ‘movement’ is all about farm fresh and local taken to the next level, using the types of food readily available in the Midwest while doing interesting things with root vegetables, steaks, and more.

Low Tea

A trend influenced by popular British series Downton Abbey. ‘Low tea’ means having tea in the drawing room or parlor, on a low table before the ‘evenning activities’. “Low tea is a light meal or snack, usually served around 4 pm, and often shared with guests. We see a return to this “extra” meal and are creating some interesting recipes to help you recreate it, too.”

Distracted Dining

This comes from the now usual ‘eating on the run’. “Now restaurants are beginning to put their menu items into forms that accommodate the cell phone obsessed—so you can eat with one hand, while the other holds the phone.“

Ethnic inspired

Think curry, coconut, ginger, garlic, and more. Check out the Google video that had everyone searching for Jhajhariya, a dessert made with corn, milk, sugar and a form of clarified butter called “ghee.”

Small scale Molecular Food

Chefs playing aroung with the chemical composition of food is fascinating. Now, we are doing it ourselfs: pickling and brining. “With both brining and pickling you get chemical changes in the food, which can bring about new flavors. (…) Glazing has picked up steam, too—just another example of our desire to change up our food and give it a different flavor, texture, or even color. “

Craft everything

“Blame Pinterest if you want, but the truth is, Americans are celebrating their creativity. when it comes to food, the new concoctions are giving us variety and excitement in our food and beverages.”

Source: Food Channel