New Food Trends

I wasn't able to go to the NBC tent last May 17, but they have some new food discoveries here!

Over 50 concessionaires were handing out samples of their bestselling fare at the recently concluded Yummy Eats fair at the NBC tent last Saturday, May 17.

Those who were at the fair were handpicked by the staff of Yummy magazine, which mounts the annual event.

"Some of them are using the fair to launch new flavors," said editor-in-chief Liz Yap.

Among those that made their debut were Mochiko's blueberry cheesecake mochi, Merry Moo's Lemon Speculoos ice cream and Sebastian's Piña Colada Ice Cream Pizza.

Food trends

Though the booths offered different versions of pastries and meat dishes, some food trends were evident, like the ubiquitous presence of "pastry butters"—cookie butter, brownie butter, and Choc-nut butter.

The sweet-salty combination was also a huge hit, as evidenced by salted caramel macarons, ice cream and cakes.

Pork was chief of meats at the fair, as it was turned into thick, juicy slabs of homemade bacon; thin, crunchy chips; and roasted whole as a lechon but with a twist.

Favorite discoveries

Here are some of our favorite discoveries from the fair, ranging from the decadent to, well, the sinful.

SUGAR RUSH

Oink Salt from The Kitchen Slave. (Photo from The Kitchen Slave's Facebook)1. Nutella Mousse Cake.The creamy mousse melts in your mouth while offering a welcome hazelnut crunch with each bite. Contact Blue Toque on Facebook or email thebluetoque@yahoo.com.

2. Parmigiano Bites.Sugar cookies with Parmigiano Reggiano cheese with a crumbly texture and a sweet-salty taste. Contact The Kitchen Slave on Facebook.

3. Smoked Bacon Caramels (Oink Salt).A chewy, gooey candy that mixes the taste of caramel and bacon, another sweet-salty treat. Contact The Kitchen Slave on Facebook.

4. Brownie Butter . If you've always wanted crunch with your brownie, then make sure to grab a jar of Viveca's spreadable brownie in a jar. Spread it on a cracker, on icecream, on potato chips, or even on your finger, it's good any way. Contact Viveca's Handcrafted Cookies & Goodies on Facebook.

5. Sans Rival Chips. These bite-sized crunchy sans rival chips paired with the buttercream dip is Sugarbee’s version of a deconstructed sans rival. An awesome way to eat sans rival sans fork. Email Sugarbee at jennysilayan@gmail.com.

LOCAL FLAVORS

Hot Sauce from Aeta Organics. (Photo from the Aeta Organics website)1. Aeta Organics Hot Sauce. The fiery-hot sauce uses chilies proudly grown by the Aeta community. The sauces, which come in two variants—hot and hotter—pack a serious punch. Thesealso make great souvenirs for visiting guests from abroad or balikbayans. Visit the Aeta Organics website or Facebook page.

2. Choc-nut Butter.This gooey, spreadable riff on a favorite childhood treat is a must-have staple to spread on fresh-off-the-pugon pan de sal or crackers. Visit the Ritual website.

3. Legendairy cheese. These smooth cream cheese spreads are one of the products churned out by the Gawad Kalinga Enchanted Farm. Make sure to try the Keso de Moringa and Keso de Bawang. Email Legendairy at GK Enchanted Farm at gkenchantedfarm@gmail.com.

SINFULLY SAVORY

Crunchy Belly from Carlo's Kitchen (Photo from Carlo's Kitchen Facebook)1. Crunchy Belly. Thinly sliced pork belly deep-fried and cut in addictive bite-sized pieces. It's like a cross between chicharon and bacon and good enough to eat on its ownor with rice. They do home deliveries, perfect for your next drinking session. Contact Carlo's Kitchen's Crunchy Belly on Facebook.

2. M.A.D. Meats bacon . Cured for 7 days, the pork is home smoked using the wood of local fruit trees like santol and mabolo. Another must-try is the black pepper bacon, a smoky-savory slice with a slight bite. Contact M.A.D. Meats at +632 911 0222.

PARTY FLAVORS

1. Kitayama Wagyu Corned Beef. Cured and cooked for 10 days, this ultra-tender beef is rich and flavorful. Each order comes with boiled cabbage and mashed potatoes. Call ahead fororders. From—surprise!—Dulcelin, best known for their Mango Torte and Strawberry Cake. Contact Dulcelin Gourmet Specialties at dulcelingourmet@msn.com or visit their website.

Paella Marisco from Pio's Paella (Photo from Pio's Paella website)2. Paella Marisco and Paella Negra. Pio's Paella does not scrimp on the seafood. Their huge paelleras were scene-stealers at the fair and their sticky rice melange was one of the first dishes to run out. A full order (P5,600) can easily serve 20-25 persons. Smaller orders are also available and other dishes to complement your paella are alsooffered. Contact Pio's Paella at kitchen@piospella.com. See them on Facebook and visit their website.

3. Cavier Cake. This spreadable creamy caviar cake will surely impress guests at your next party. The generous caviar topping goes well with wine or champagne. Contact Kitchen Feather at +63 927 935 9494.

4. French Lechon. Take the crowd-pleasing lechon de leche and bring it to new heights by adding "international stuffing" to it. The French lechon is stuffed with truffle rice. The German lechon has herbs, garlic bulbs and marble potatoes, while the Spanish Manileña is filled with Spanish chorizo with taba ng talangka paella! Contact Pepita's Kitchen at pepitaskitchen@gmail.com.

Yahoo Philippines